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1
Inspect the whitebait: each fish should be translucent with a slight silver sheen and visible dark eyes. Any opacity or white colouration indicates the fish are not fresh; discard them. The smell must be clean river water and sea — no ammonia, no strong fish odour. Do not rinse the whitebait; moisture is the enemy of the crust.
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2
Beat the eggs lightly with a pinch of salt. Combine with the whitebait, folding gently so the fish remain whole. The mixture should be dense with fish; the egg coats rather than surrounds them. One egg per 100 g of whitebait is the ratio that decides the dish: too much egg and the result is an omelette with fish in it; too little and the fritter falls apart in the pan. The fish must dominate; the egg is invisible infrastructure. This is where the dish lives or dies.
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3
Place a pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and allow it to foam and subside. When the butter is hot and beginning to colour, drop spoonfuls of the whitebait mixture into the pan, leaving space between each fritter. The butter should hiss immediately on contact.
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4
Fry for approximately 2 minutes on the first side without pressing or moving the fritters. The underside is ready to turn when the edges are set and golden and the tiny fish are visible and lacy within the crust — the fritter lifts cleanly from the pan.
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5
Turn once and fry for a further 2 minutes on the second side. The fritter is done when both surfaces are golden, the exterior is crisp to the touch, and the interior yields with a slight give — the whitebait should offer a delicate pop between the teeth. Drain briefly.
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6
Butter the white bread. Place the fritters on the bread and serve immediately with lemon wedges alongside. The fritter does not wait.