Don’t be afraid to give this classic dish a go at home. With crisp batter and the complementary flavours of salt and pepper this dish makes the perfect appetiser or snack on a sunny day.
Serves 4
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp cornflour
2 tsp sea salt flakes
1 tsp ground white pepper
½ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp smoky paprika
250g fresh whitebait
oil for deep frying
aioli, to serve
lemon wedges, to serve
1 Line a tray with baking paper. Combine flour, cornflour, salt, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper and paprika in a large clip lock bag. Add 1/2 of whitebait, seal bag and shake until whitebait is coated with mixture. Transfer to prepared tray. Coat remaining whitebait with spice mix and transfer to tray.
2 Half fill a small saucepan with oil and place over a medium heat. Line a tray with paper towel. When oil is hot, add ¼ of whitebait and cook for 1-2 minutes or until golden and crisp. Transfer to tray. Cook remaining portions of whitebait. Serve immediately with aioli and lemon wedges.
