Ingredients
20-30 fresh sage leaves
100 g 00 flour
150 ml sparkling water (cold)
1 egg
Salt to taste
Seed oil for frying
Procedure
Preparing the batter
Prepare the ingredients: Make sure the sparkling water is very cold. You can keep it in the fridge until ready to use.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a bowl, sift the flour and add a pinch of salt.
Prepare the batter: In another bowl, beat the egg and add the cold sparkling water. Mix well.
Combine the ingredients: Gradually pour the egg and water mixture into the bowl with the flour, stirring continuously with a whisk until the batter is smooth and lump-free. The batter should be quite liquid and light.
Preparation of Sage Leaves
Wash and dry the leaves: Gently wash the sage leaves and dry them carefully using paper towels.
Frying
Heat the oil: In a large, deep frying pan, heat plenty of seed oil until a temperature of about 170-180 °C is reached. If you don't have a kitchen thermometer, you can test the temperature of the oil by placing a small drop of batter in it: if it sizzles and rises immediately to the surface, the oil is ready.
Dip the leaves into the batter: Dip one sage leaf at a time into the batter, making sure it is well coated.
Fry the leaves: Gently place the sage leaves in the hot oil. Fry them a few at a time to avoid lowering the oil temperature. Cook until golden and crispy, about 1-2 minutes per side.
Drain and dry: use a skimmer to remove the leaves from the oil and drain them on absorbent paper to remove excess oil.
Service
Season and serve: Sprinkle the fried sage leaves with a pinch of salt and serve hot.
Tips
Variations: You can enrich the batter by adding a pinch of black pepper or paprika for an extra touch of flavour.
Accompaniments: Batter-fried sage is great on its own, but you can serve it with a light sauce such as lemon mayonnaise or a yoghurt sauce.
Enjoy!
