This is an old Ligurian recipe for frying fish in extra virgin olive oil, which has been closely guarded by chef Diego Pani, a third-generation chef at the helm of the Marco Polo 1960 restaurant in Ventimiglia, in the Italian region of Liguria. In this beautiful land on the border with France, with abundant vegetation, nothing is more typical than the oil obtained from the Taggiasca olive, the characteristic cultivar of the Ponente land, which just a few months ago was granted IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) status.
"Since the 1960s, for taste, use and, above all, for connection to the territory, my family has always preferred extra virgin olive oil to any other fat for frying," explains Pani. "The connection to the territory, and the desire to express it in our dishes, pushed my grandmother Maria first, and my father Marco later, to use olive oil in most of our recipes, including the legendary fish fry.”
Today, the young chef continues the local and family tradition, still using the old-fashioned way of frying fish in extra virgin olive oil. Find out how to make it at home below.
Ligurian-style frying in olive oil
Liguria's precious green gold is the product of legendary olive-growing, based on a system of terraces with dry-stone walls that signify the centuries-old relationship between man and nature and, for this reason, have been declared a UNESCO Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Rediscovering the traditional recipe for fried fish prepared with local olive oil means coming into contact with the characteristic Ligurian landscape and re-establishing a link with the territory.
What distinguishes the method of frying in extra virgin olive oil, which is still prepared at Marco Polo 1960 restaurant? "First of all, the frying pan itself, made of cast iron, cared for and preserved from my grandmother’s time," says Pani. "Moreover, the use of extra virgin olive oil gives the frying a certain fragrance, colour and aroma. It is very important to have the sensitivity of knowing how much water to use to stretch the beaten eggs in which to dip the squid. But it is also essential to calibrate the 00 flour and semolina to allow the frying to remain light and crispy. Last but not least, the frying oil must be changed often.”
Recipe for fish fried in extra virgin olive oil
Find out how to prepare fish fried in extra virgin olive oil according to the old Pani family recipe.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1/2 kg (17 oz) fresh squid
20 small fish for frying
20 Sanremo prawns
700g (25 oz) 00 flour
300g (10 oz) semolina
2 eggs, beaten
Water, to taste
Salt, to taste
Extra virgin olive oil
Method
Step 1
After cleaning all the fish, heat plenty of extra virgin olive oil in a pan to a temperature of 180°C/350°F.
Step 2
In the meantime, add a little water to the already beaten eggs and dip the squid, which will then be breaded in flour and semolina and set aside.
Step 3
Coat the small fish and prawns directly in flour and semolina mixture.
Step 4
Dip the fish a little at a time in the oil and take them out after a few minutes, once golden brown.
