Fritter

A fritter is food fried in a batter. There are two main kinds. In the first, pieces of food, such as apple rings or vegetables, are dipped in batter and fried. In the second, chopped food, such as corn or zucchini (courgette in the UK), is mixed into a thick batter and dropped into hot oil by the spoonful. Fritters can be sweet or savory.

How to do it

1. Make a batter from flour, egg, and a liquid such as milk, beer or sparkling water. A little baking powder makes it lighter. For mixed fritters, keep it thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon.
2. Dry wet ingredients well. Salt and squeeze grated zucchini or potato to remove water.
3. Heat oil to 175 to 180°C (350 to 355°F). Use an oil with a high smoke point. Deep-fry in plenty of oil, or shallow-fry flat fritters in about 1 cm (⅜ inch).
4. Fry a few at a time so the oil stays hot. Turn once.
5. Lift them out onto a wire rack and salt savory fritters while they are hot. Sweet ones can be dusted with sugar.

How to tell it is done

The outside is crisp and golden brown. The middle is cooked through, with no wet batter when you break one open. Thick fritters usually need 2 to 4 minutes per side.

Common mistakes

• Oil that is too cool. The batter soaks up fat and turns greasy.
• Oil that is too hot. The outside burns before the middle cooks.
• Watery vegetables. They thin the batter and make soggy fritters.
• Draining on paper towels only. The bottom steams. A rack keeps them crisp.

In recipes

Many dishes are fritters under another name: Indian pakora, French beignets, Japanese tempura, Middle Eastern falafel (a batter-free cousin), and American corn fritters. A recipe that says "fritter" means a battered, fried piece of food, usually served hot. Eat them soon after frying, or reheat in a hot oven to crisp them again.