Fritura andaluza
Andalusia, Spain (Cádiz)
The Andalusian art of frying small seafood — anchovies, small squid, baby shrimp, whitebait, cazón — in seasoned flour and olive oil at very high temperature. The result should be crisp, pale gold, dry to the touch, with no greasiness. Fritura is the defining technique of coastal Andalusia from Cádiz to Málaga, and the quality difference between properly executed fritura and ordinary battered fish is absolute.
The technique uses no egg, no batter, no beer. Only high-protein flour (often a mixture of wheat and chickpea flour), salt, and 190°C olive oil. The flour coating is light — not a thick batter — and the frying is fast. Small anchovy: 60-90 seconds. Large squid rings: 2-3 minutes.