The fried frogs of the Novara tradition are unusual and tasty

Fried frogs are a second dish typical of the Lombardy and Piedmont areas. Here’s how to make them with batter.

Fried frogs are a typical product of the province of Novara and, more generally, of those areas between Piedmont and Lombardy where the land is mainly cultivated with rice fields . It is a second dish of poor origin brought to the table thanks to the skills of Rané , the expert frog hunter. Today considered one of the traditional second courses, it was once cooked out of necessity. In fact, fried frog legs were one of the main sources of protein for the poorer sections of the population.

Cleaning frogs is perhaps one of the most complicated operations in the kitchen and fortunately supermarkets and fishmongers come to our aid in this. In fact, frogs can be found on the market already clean , fresh or frozen, perfect for crispy frying.

How to make the fried frog recipe

1. First wash the frogs well under running water, then dry them with kitchen paper. If they are frozen, let them defrost in the refrigerator first.
2. Then transfer them to a bowl, flavor them with the chopped parsley and cover with the white wine. Leave to marinate for a couple of hours.
3. Mix the flour and water in a bowl to create a smooth, lump-free batter .
4. Heat abundant seed oil until it reaches 170 ° C then dip the frogs one at a time in the batter and then fry them. They should be golden and crunchy and it will only take a few minutes.
5. Drain them with a slotted spoon and pass them on absorbent paper to remove excess grease. Serve hot with salt and lemon juice.

The fried frogs with batter prepared with the original recipe are really tasty and perfect for those who like to experiment with new flavors. You can also try making a yummy beer batter .

storage

As with all fried recipes, also in this case we advise you to consume them freshly made so as to appreciate their crunchiness.