Fritto misto means mixed fry, and in Italy, where it is a great way to use up odds and ends from the kitchen, it might contain meat, cheese, fish—anything that can be breaded and fried (and what can’t, really?). My favorite part of any fritto misto is always the veggies, and this version is nothing but. It has the added surprise of fried garbanzos, which get crunchy on the outside and creamy within, and lemon slices, which are crispy and delicious.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　Vegetable oil, for frying

　　2 large eggs, lightly beaten

　　1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

　　2 teaspoons fine salt

　　1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　1 small cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets

　　4 ounces green beans, halved

　　1 fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick

　　1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

　　1 lemon, sliced 1/4 inch thick

　　1 cup mayonnaise

　　2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

　　

Step 1

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375°F. (If you don’t have a thermometer, toss in a cube of bread; it will brown in about 3 minutes and, when it does, the oil is ready.)

　　

Step 2

While the oil heats, in a medium bowl, mix together the eggs and 2 tablespoons water. In another medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and pepper. Dip the cauliflower in the egg mixture, allowing any extra egg mixture to drip off. Dredge the cauliflower in the flour mixture. Fry the cauliflower for 1 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels. Repeat the battering and frying with the green beans, fennel, garbanzos beans, and finally the lemon slices.

　　

Step 3

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and lemon juice until smooth. Arrange the fritto misto on a platter and serve with the lemon mayonnaise.

　　Giada at Home by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2010 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.