Ingredients for Fried Vegetables:

• Cooking oil
• 1½ cups broccoli florets
• 1½ cups cauliflower florets
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced into ½-inch thick slices
• 1 small eggplant, sliced into ½-inch thick slices
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup flour
• Beer or sparkling mineral water

Directions for Fried Vegetables:

• Heat cooking oil in large, deep skillet over medium heat and cover.
• Wash vegetables, cut broccoli and cauliflower florets into bite-size pieces and dry with a paper towel.  Set aside.
• Mix egg, flour, and beer or sparkling mineral water in medium bowl.  Stir continually and add salt and pepper to taste.
• NOTE:  Batter should stick to fork without completely running off.  If batter is too runny, add a little flour.  If batter is too thick, add a little more beer or mineral water.
• Dip vegetables into batter and completely coat.  Carefully place vegetables into hot oil and cook on all sides until light golden brown.
• Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.  Sprinkle vegetables with salt to taste and serve warm.

Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients for Frittata with Zucchini and Onions:

• 8 eggs
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced

Directions for Frittata with Zucchini and Onions:

• Beat eggs with wire whisk for 2 to 3 minutes in medium bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
• Heat olive oil in large non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add zucchini slices and onion and sauté until tender.
• Pour egg mixture into skillet, cover and cook over medium heat.  When edges are firm, separate egg from skillet with spatula.  Tilt skillet so uncooked egg on top runs to bottom of skillet and cooks.
• When egg mixture is no longer runny on top, place large plate over skillet and flip frittata so that uncooked part is facing up.  Slide uncooked side into skillet to finish cooking.
• Remove frittata from skillet onto lace, cut into wedges and serve.

Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients for Zucchini with Lemon:

• 4 to 5 zucchini
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions for Zucchini with Lemon:

• Slice zucchini into 1/2 inch thick slices.  Steam zucchini for approximately 10 minutes.  Remove and drain.  Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
• Combine zucchini slices with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon in a serving bowl.
• Mix well and serve.  Zucchini may be served at room temperature or chilled.

This Zucchini with Lemon recipe serves 4 to 6.

For an alternative to this recipe, try Steamed Spinach with Lemon.

Italian Fried Vegetables (Fritto Misto di Verdure)

Italian Fried Vegetables also known as Fritto Misto di Verdure is a recipe using a variety of vegetables bathed in a creamy batter and fried to golden brown perfection. These are so delicious that even our children devour them without realizing what they are eating. You can use many different vegetables, but we typically use eggplant, zucchini, broccoli florets, and cauliflower florets.

Italian Fried Vegetables are often made and served with the Christmas Eve meal. We enjoy them with pasta with tuna, fried or baked cod, and Pandoro on Christmas Eve when we gather with family. But, you don’t have to wait until the holidays to sample these appetizing veggies.

The key to making this recipe is all in the “pastella” or batter. The consistency of the batter should be thick enough to cling to a flork without completely running off. If the batter becomes too runny, add a little more flour. If the batter becomes too thick, add a little more beer or sparkling water.

Ingredients for Italian Fried Vegetables:

• Cooking Oil
• 1½ cups broccoli florets
• 1½ cups cauliflower florets
• 2 medium zucchini
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1½ cups flour
• Beer or sparkling mineral water
• Salt, to taste

Directions for Italian Fried Vegetables:

• Heat cooking oil in large, deep skillet over medium heat and cover.
• Wash vegetables, cut into bite-size pieces, and dry with paper towel.  Set aside.
• In medium bowl, mix flour into eggs, then add beer or sparkling mineral water.  Stir continuously and add salt and pepper to taste.
• If batter is too thick, add a little more beer or sparkling mineral water.  If batter is too runny, add a little more flour.
• Dip vegetables into batter and completely coat.  Carefully place vegetables into hot oil and cook on all sides until light brown.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and drain

This Italian Fried Vegetables recipe will serve approximately 4 to 6 people.

Mangia, Mangia!