When my mother made fried zucchini for us, she would slice the zucchini lengthwise into 1/ 4-inch slices. Sometimes she would flour them, dip them in egg batter, cover them well with bread crumbs, and fry them, as I do here. But sometimes she would just dip them in flour and eggs and fry them. I liked them both ways. The ones without bread crumbs I make often for a vegetable buffet or antipasto. After they are fried and drained, I roll them like a jelly roll and serve them just like that. The best zucchini to use for this—and most—recipes are small ones, about 6 inches long, with bright skins and a firm texture. Zucchini of this size are called “fancy” in the restaurant business. You’ll see them labeled like that in some markets as well. Fry the zucchini in batches for better results. Overcrowding the oil when frying zucchini, or for that matter anything, lowers the temperature of the oil drastically, and that causes a lot of problems. First, the food becomes poached and not fried, and absorbs much more oil. The zucchini pieces will stick to each other and cook unevenly, without the nice, crispy crust which is one of the reasons we fry in the first place.

　　

Ingredients

makes 6 servings

　　1 1/2 pounds “fancy” zucchini

　　2 eggs

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　1 cup all-purpose flour

　　1 cup coarse cornmeal

　　2 cups bread crumbs

　　2 cups vegetable oil

　　1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　

Step 1

Wash and dry the zucchini. Cut the stems and tips off, then cut the zucchini crosswise into 2-inch lengths. Cut the zucchini pieces lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices, then cut the slices lengthwise into 1/4-inch julienne strips.

　　

Step 2

Whisk the eggs, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Stir the flour and cornmeal together in a second bowl, and pour the bread crumbs into a third bowl.

　　

Step 3

Heat the oven to 200° F or lowest setting. Line a baking sheet with a double thickness of paper towels. Pour the vegetable oil and olive oil into a deep skillet. Insert a deep-frying thermometer in the oil and heat the oil over medium heat to 375° F. (If you are working without a thermometer, test the temperature as directed below.) Once the oil reaches the desired temperature, adjust the heat under the pot to maintain a steady temperature.

　　

Step 4

Working with a handful of zucchini sticks at a time, toss the zucchini in flour, transfer them to a strainer, and shake them to remove excess flour. Toss the floured zucchini in the egg mixture, then transfer them to a second sieve, placed over a bowl, to drain off excess egg. Toss the coated zucchini in the bread crumbs, pressing them lightly so the bread crumbs stick, until coated well. Lift them from the crumbs, shaking them gently to remove excess crumbs.

　　

Step 5

To test the temperature of the oil without a thermometer, add one breaded zucchini stick. If the zucchini doesn’t sizzle and bubble, the oil is not hot enough. When the oil comes to temperature (375° F), carefully slip a small handful of zucchini into the oil. Push the zucchini around in the oil with a wire skimmer or slotted spoon to keep them from sticking together, submerging them in the oil with the skimmer so the oil reaches all sides of the zucchini and they brown evenly. Fry until golden brown and crisp on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Using the skimmer or slotted spoon, carefully fish out the zucchini, setting them on paper towels to drain. Keep warm in the oven while frying the remaining zucchini. Sprinkle them evenly with salt and serve.

　　From Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Copyright © 2001 by A La Carte Communications and Tutti a Tavola, LLC. Published by arrangement with Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.Buy the full book from Amazon.