Why EVERYONE Should Learn to Fry at Home (...and how to do it easily)

[@PastaGrammar]

Have you ever felt intimidated by the idea of frying at home? Let us know if you think you'll give it a shot!

[@tangoangel2782]

No, never. Doing it all the time.

[@tangoangel2782]

I usually shallow fry in a shallow pan, that way there is not much oil left at the end, and I use that to toast some bread in. What is unhealthy about deep frying, is actually the fact that people re-use the same oil over and over, and it becomes cancerogenic.

[@robertojames7904]

Intimidated? This question is so outside my life's experience, that it makes no sense to me. Frying is part of good cooking. Hardly a day goes by that we don't fry at home where we eat nearly all our meals. Every other Thursday we meet with friends for Mexican food. Other than that, it's pretty much three meals a day at home because that's where the best food is.

[@DD-hy1nl]

Eva, my father used to eat that, "Capozzelli" lambs brain...At Easter time my Nonna made it for my father. To tell you the truth, as a child it scared me! 😳

[@florincepanariu8752]

Actually the main reason we don’t really like frying at home is cleaning up plus that disposing that large amount of oil is really a pain … Also, if you live in an appartment with open kitchen...it really stinks the place up.

[@thestickerfarm1254]

I have never liked eggplant. But Ava you have made a believer out of me. I grow eggplant because it is pretty, looks like a decorated Christmas tree. But never harvest to eat it. Then I tried 2 of your recipes and loved it. It was deep fried and so delicious. Who said you can’t teach an old dog? I am in my 80’s. Peace

[@PastaGrammar]

Unbelievably glad to hear that! Buon appetito!

[@pile333]

Properly cooked melanzane alla parmigiana are delicious.

[@abcxyz-e4c]

you can confit them. in the microwave. easy. fast. delicious.

[@EvelynBaron]

Please don't kill me guys my late family huge foodies from all over Europe I am the North American who doesn;t fry stuff ... usually. And yet ... the only fast food I'm addicted to (lived in the UK for quite a while) is fish and chips mushy peas whole nine yards. And yes done properly not that much oil adheres fact, Dittto don't kill me but I make eggplant Lebanese style on a grill pan salt it rinse it tastes like steak about an inch thick and I pickle the veggies and .. youtube a great big world. HOWEVER my best friend Calabrese what a revelation for many years no quarrel with me love your channel carry on. Adam Ragusea (sp) thiinks air fryers an abomination he's probably right. I don't have one. I use less oil and (gasp) have been known to use fiber enriched Catelli pasta but yes totally know the difference, wishing you guys much love and happiness I'm trying sort out a couple of months in France on the south coast may have occasion to report on food matters don't want to be a silly snob Food Network less said ,,, one last word from an overlong response ... who cares what Jaimie Oliver cooks he got rubbish food out of schools for children, ,,, and I think he's a good guy,

[@keithbaker7097]

You should try Turkish stuffed eggplant. It's delicious and filling

[@user-ik4xq9hm1x]

As a lifelong frier of food, I recommend against using breadcrumbs or any other food particles to test the temperature and, instead, using something wooden like a skewer or chopstick to test for bubbling. The reason is because small dry particles, even at a low temperature, will eventually float to the bottom and burn and it only takes a tiny bit of something burning to ruin the oil and make everything you put into it taste like an ashtray.

[@SarahS-zq8ru]

I was taught to drop a droplet of water, if it sizzles it’s ready, same with a hot iron…

[@user-ik4xq9hm1x]

@@SarahS-zq8ru I was taught that way, too, but it’s dangerous because it causes hot oil to pop and splatter which can burn and even blind you or start a fire aside from just being messy. A completely dry utensil like a chopstick (bamboo cooking chopsticks, not the lacquered or plastic kind)or fork will cause small safe bubbles to form when the reaches perfect temperature so you’re not gambling with water. I’ve even seen a pan shoot flames into the air and set the ceiling on fire when someone tried the water method once so please be safe 🙏

[@jelly.1899]

But won't breadcrumbs from the food you first put in also float to the bottom and burn until you are done with frying everything? You just bought yourself some seconds of time.

[@pistachio57]

How can you just sit and listen with all that crispy food in your face?

[@trevorcook3129]

Dripping and lard are my favourite to fry in. Especially fish n chips

[@nicolepadron]

These types of videos (frying, meats, cheeses, ect) are fantastic because they are foundational. I’ve been cooking and baking for years and I’m loving the educational component of your content. Learning the “why” and then understanding the “how” lays the framework for endless culinary possibilities. Thanks!

[@atlitalian9832]

Harper and Eva, this is one of your most informative, entertaining, and personally evocative installments of Pasta Grammar! As you said, fried food is fantastic and easy. When I was a child, my grandmother and great aunt, both of whom emigrated to the U.S. in their teens from near Campobasso, in Molise (yes, it exists!), fried nearly everything. It was all delicious. They really knew what they were doing. They had co-owned a restaurant and when I was in my teens, twenty years after the restaurant closed, I’d often run into people who told me that patrons used to stand in line around the corner to be seated for fried fish on for Friday, and for their fried chicken. Here are a couple of things that they taught me. For fried food that will be coated in bread crumbs, first dip the food in flour while it’s still dry, then dip it in thoroughly beaten egg, then dip it in the bread crumbs. Eva did that frequently without comment. I was taught that the reason for following that procedure is to prevent all the bread crumbs from falling off the fried food when it’s done. If you’ve ever had eggplant or a cutlet where all the coating slides off in one piece before you eat it, chances are that the food wasn’t dipped in dry flour first. That imperceptible layer of flour flour serves to “glue” the egg and bread crumbs to the finished product. Second, they insisted that fish should be fried in hot peanut oil, because of its high smoke point. The last thing they did, which probably ups the ante for those who are squeamish about frying for health reasons, was to always fry potatoes in homemade lard. Once you’ve had french fries made that way, you’ll never find french fries fried in any kind of vegetable oil fully satisfying! Those french fries still taste like potatoes, have a light golden crust, and are not at all oily, probably because melted lard is much less viscous than vegetable oil of any kind. It’s so thin that it just disappears when you take the french fries out of the grease. If you’re tempted to do this, homemade lard is an essential labor of love. The stuff that comes in the green box, in my opinion, is totally unsatisfactory. I still make home made lard every once in a while just to enjoy such french fries, with the added advantage that there are lots of other wonderful uses for the lard. Thanks again for such an instructive, fun, and informative video!

[@ps5801]

@atlitalian9832 Yours is a perfect example of why I always read the Pasta Grammar comments. It's amazing how much good information is in the comments. Thanks for posting. I'd love to try the fries made in lard, but I don't often eat meat, so don't have much access to pork fat. Oh well. Still, thanks for the tip.

[@mhordijk0871]

Fries made in beef tallow 😛🤯

[@windermere2330]

Didn’t McDonald’s used to fry their french fries in beef lard? Thanks so much for the info. What about using duck fat to fry fries?

[@barbaramiller349]

Thank you for your comment. Good information! I wish I knew how to make lard. I use my bacon grease to fry potatoes and onions but I have never tried to make lard, I guess I will go google that 😂. Thank you again!💝

[@ps5801]

@@barbaramiller349 Once you get the pork fat lard is super easy to make. It just takes patience and the ability to resist turning up the temperature to speed it up.

[@shainazion4073]

You can put the wooden spoon into the oil to see if it is hot enough. It will bubble up around the spoon, not leaving anything in the oil.

[@RocRizzo]

Or a chopstick

[@MrLunarlander]

Just buy a digital probe thermometer - they're cheap, eliminate the guesswork, and also make cooking meat properly so easy. We really don't need to be cooking like it's 1623 or something.

[@FAQIvan91]

​@@MrLunarlander1) there's nothing wrong in using old cooking methods. 2) a thermometer is useful sometimes but it's not necessary here.

[@MrLunarlander]

@@FAQIvan91 It's not necessary, but it's SOOOOOO much easier - particularly for deep frying novices, which this video seemed to be aimed at.

[@Cr4z33_YT]

I do the same with a toothstick. 😉

[@scottp667]

THANK YOU Eva!! Oh! And Harper 😉 I am one who hated frying for many of the reasons Harper mentioned…big pot, special thermometer and gallons of…and then how to get rid of the oil afterwards! I’ve been watching Eva fry in other videos and saw she used smaller pots and pans and not huge amounts of oil and she has given me courage to try with calamari I have in my freezer. This was an EXCELLENT video because it showed different batters, different techniques! You both put so much into your videos and it’s greatly appreciated!! ❤

[@MedontheMed]

Add safety to one reason people are afraid of frying at home. So many kitchen fires are related to deep frying. And definitely home frying is healthier than commercial frying. Thank you for all the great videos you share

[@WinstonSmithGPT]

Frying on a gas flame is scary if you don’t know what you’re doing. Spillover is a thing.

[@aris1956]

Indeed ! Then at home we normally use more fresh oil, compared to some restaurants, where they often use the same oil several times.

[@ps5801]

@@aris1956 Actually the same oil is used many times. It's also filtered regularly and the temperature is tightly controlled and, in good restaurants, the temperature calibration is checked regularly.

[@marzsit9833]

@@aris1956 i reuse my frying oil 5-6 times depending on what has been cooked in it. nothing wrong with doing that. just filter it properly between use and store it cold, i store my oil in the freezer.

[@rosannapizza6402]

@@marzsit9833 how do you filter it? thanks in advance

[@nancybyrd2221]

As a safety precaution, it's smart to have a lid handy for the pan or skillet you're using to fry. Just in case the oil flames up, quickly put the lid on the pan and turn off the heat. Problem solved. You can also use a wet kitchen towel but honestly, in an emergency situation, it would take longer to have that towel ready than to have the lid right next to the stove. Novice fryers who have never fried anything in their life would benefit in using a thermometer until they get the hang of frying at proper temperatures. Once you've got that skill set, you won't need the extra tool. Get a metal probe type thermometer, however, not one made of glass.

[@EvelynBaron]

If and when use a thermometer ... make falaffels sp .And NEVER pour oil down the drain, and if you're deep frying Mars Bars you are in the wrong place (couldn't resist).

[@jelly.1899]

​​@@EvelynBaronwhy falafels when using a thermometer? I don't get the connection?

[@EvelynBaron]

@@jelly.1899 because I am careful in the kitchen and skittish when frying anything. Jaiimie Oliver I am not. Best wishes for the holidays

[@jelly.1899]

@@EvelynBaron I meant your comment read like you advise people to only make falafels when using a thermometer.

[@comodoregoatknuckle6301]

A tip I will never forget is: If you are frying larger or longer pieces, place them "away from you" in the oil. It's hard to describe. So. turn the bottom end of the piece into the oil and put the top end, which you still hold in your hand, away from you into the oil. If oil spills out from under the piece, it can only burn your finger, but it won't spill onto your body. Does that make sense?

[@mhermarckarakouzian8899]

We Armenians do this too and some people make a sandwich from the fried foods. We also typically include cauliflower, fried as is (i.e. with no flour or batter) and it’s usually the one people fight over.

[@tom_something]

Cleanup is a big barrier for me when it comes to frying. Since I'm only feeding a small number of people, I can't justify using oil just once and then throwing it out. So I'd have to bring out the chemex and slowly pour the oil through a coffee filter, wait for it to cool, and then store it in a bottle. Recently I got a stainless steel pot for storing used oil, and it's got a filter to clean it up a little so it's good for one or two more uses.

[@Lia-ij5fn]

This is a dirty word nowadays I guess, but growing up in the south we always used vegetable shortening for frying. It re-solidifies when it cools.. all the yucky stuff gets left at the bottom and you just throw that bit away instead of all the oil. Plus if you're doing simple things like French fries, there isn't much left in the oil. However, strongly flavored things, like onion rings will leave their taste in the oil

[@daniby9894]

I think it's a question of good old common sense and if oil is recuperable or not.

[@crickett3536]

Two items that helped me with frying: 1. Oil Solidifier. If you aren't using the fry oil for anything and hate clean up, this powder helps bind the oil in your pan and it lets you easily scoop it out! 2. Handheld Skimmer: If you get nervous around hot oil, like me, a skimmer helps you place food in oil gently and pick it up. I wish I was as talented and confident as Eva with frying, so I will try some of these!

[@denalihedgehog]

Instead of oil solidifier, you can just use a paper towel and absorb the oil with it

[@crickett3536]

@@denalihedgehog That's true, too. I saw a few comments on how they hate cleaning up fried oil and wanted to recommend an alternative.

[@AelwynMr]

In Italy (well, where I live at least) you collect frying oil in plastic bottles and throw it into special bins. It is then cleaned, treated, and mixed with diesel fuel! 🙃 I also keep a couple of bottles to throw on the wood when I barbecue: it makes it catch fire more easily.

[@crickett3536]

@@AelwynMr That's nice! In my part of America, sadly, the only oil recycling is for businesses. Home use is sent to the dump. It took years for us to get a metal recycler, even, and it's still a business, not state operated.

[@AelwynMr]

@@crickett3536 businesses must recycle their oils by law since the '90s, while for private citizens the law used to be a bit silly: it was always forbidden to throw it in the sink and you certainly can't put it in the bin or compost it as-is, so basically nobody knew what they were supposed to do with it. I used to throw it my garden!

[@Lmn0660]

I love your family. I am Sicilian. I grew up with my grandmother, from Augusta Sicily. She was an amazing cook and taught me many things from childhood. One of the foods I remember, that makes e all warm and fuzzy inside was fried artichokes and fried zucchini flowers. Does Eva know how to make these dishes. Oh, your cooking, also, brings back those warm, fuzzy and happy days with my grandmother. Thank you

[@PastaGrammar]

Of course! Artichokes aren’t in season, though. We were hoping to include zucchini flowers but we couldn’t find any that day

[@richardengelhardt582]

As a child, my mother had a fancy electric range in which one of the back burners could be lowered into the stove in order to accommodate a deep fryer, which had its own dedicated temperature control. Anything deep fried in this was never greasy.

[@Smarfton]

3rd generation Italian American here, with family from Naples (and Sicily). You know it's southern Italian cooking when brains come into the mix. My grandpa ate them, and tongue and loved it.

[@rosamancini9304]

Yup my family is from Puglia and eyes would light up every time I saw goat brain on the table.😊

[@loricameron4230]

Hi, I don’t like to deep fry foods in my kitchen due to the smell. Fried food seems to linger in the house so I bought a portable induction burner and fry outside. No mess or smell!

[@yvetteblancher3676]

Hi, I’m Yvette. I recently watched this video and it reminded me of something real familiar. I grew up in New Orleans in the 1950’s. Going out to restaurants, my family would always get a “seafood platter”. It had something for everyone. Shrimp, oysters, fish, soft shell crabs or crab cakes, hush puppies and always potatoes This dish looks like that to me. That dish must have originated from the influence of Italians. So I did a little research about it. They arrived in New Orleans in the late 1800’s and there was an area in the French Quarter called, “Little Italy.” Lots of Italians opened restaurants there and around the city. Also, an old established Italian market on Decatur St ( Central Grocery ) is famous for a sandwich called Muffuletta. It has salami, provolone… and lots of other stuff with olive salad pilled high. I always thought of New Orleans cuisine as mainly influenced by French with a mix of the influences the black people brought from Africa. (Creole) I have a whole new understanding of the complex fusion of New Orleans Cuisine. I would love to see Ava’s take on the food there.

[@Jupiter0ne]

The main reason I don't deep fry is one that you didn't show.....the clean up. Once you have all that delicious food, you have quite a mess to clean. And unless you're frying fish, you'll probably want to save and re-use all that oil at least once more. So there's the funneling, filtering, storing and hoping the oil doesn't go rancid before your next fry. I mostly do shallow frying, which keeps my fried food cravings in check.

[@PastaGrammar]

We never save the oil, but to each their own!

[@susanlindarice]

exactly!

[@aaronruss]

Saving the oil is actually fairly easy. Just wait for it to cool down and strain it. Bobs you're uncle.

[@wannabetrucker7475]

Tried it, too messy for me.....learned to love my air fryer.

[@lucilletabbutt6703]

I use lard, and I just leave it in the pot and reuse it several times until it is too dirty. It doesn't matter. It's worth it

[@Lia-ij5fn]

Eva have you tried fried green tomatoes yet? Many people get really complicated with them. My mom always just used green tomatoes that have a little blush starting and coated them with all purpose flour seasoned just with salt and pepper. I have always enjoyed them best this simple way. They provide their own tanginess that always makes fried food taste better.

[@PastaGrammar]

I (Harper) actually made those for Eva once! Super good 😋

[@christopherlupone9941]

Yes! This! So many American cooks - even in *restaurants* - don't seem to know you must get the oil properly hot! So many times I have gone to a restaurant for french fries - and gotten soggy-ass fries. If the cook had heated the oil properly - at a higher temperature - this frytastrophe would have been avoided. Three cheers to Eva once again for being the (ever lovely) voice of reason!

[@rosannapizza6402]

agreed. soggyass fries disgust me . total turn off ..

[@loriwilson-n9t]

This old country girl from USA LOVES Eva!!! Oh and Harper too lol

[@krzysztofmazurkiewicz6678]

Thank you, Evelina, for saying out loud that canola oil sucks. I am Polish (and I'm writing from Poland), so it's quite obvious that we don't grow olive trees here, and we do have miles and miles of fields where canola grows. Obviously, it's cheaper than the other oils and the adverts are very heavy on it - but I simply don't like it. BTW - I lived for over a year in Italy and I am an Italian food lover and I also love the way you introduce Italian food on your channel. In fact, I take a lot of inspiration from you (maybe except garlic which I happen to love).

[@EvelynBaron]

My mum was Polish the amount of garlic we ate would horrify both the French and Italians yes to canola which also grows everywhere in Canada ... there are worse ... I think. Still have recipes from her part of the remembrance of great love and a valiant generous heart.

[@OneAdam12Adam]

Canola oil is actually harmful to us. Use anything but that oil.

[@baronesselsavonfreytag-lor1134]

Tempura, pakora, etc. - lots of cultures have a version of this. My Punjabi husband makes a few fried dishes. I love fried zucchini!

[@tbrough90]

Eva gave me the courage to fry my own cannoli, and now my husband asks for cannoli every year instead of birthday cake

[@jomercer21113]

With only two of us at home now and scaled-down cooking needed, I've taken to frying in a wok--the sloping sides allow you to get some depth with less oil. Saving large volumes of used oil is a royal pain.

[@dbkilmister5158]

Hi, Im a Canadian and I love watching you guys. Your US roadtrip was good fun to watch but made me want to ask if you have ever thought about doing a Canadian road trip? Even just a small trip to like Quebec to a proper sugar shack or to try some amazing bagels, smoked meat, and tons of maple goodness....also ice wine...gotta try ice wine, altho icewine is more of an ontario thing i think but can get it anywhere. I just think itd be a fun trip to watch and youd love it

[@PastaGrammar]

We would like to! In no small part because Canada imports WAY more Calabrian products than the US

[@rosamancini9304]

Ya and don't forget the steamies aka Montreal hot dogs yum!😊

[@rosamancini9304]

​@@PastaGrammar especially in British Calabria, I mean British Columbia! Love your channel❤

[@ludmillam.grabetz7649]

In Ottawa we have a small town of nothing but Itailans culture and we celebrate together every summer like a fair for a whole week!It is called Italy Town! So many restaurants, shops, etc... to see. You both need to come to Canada and try!

[@boomerdrillman]

I am just amazed at how at ease Eva is at cooking everything. She handles the food with love and it shows in the end result! A true craftsman in the culinary arts!!!

[@pdxfunkjunkie]

'arper, I VERY seldom ever deep-fried anything - before subscribing to your channel. THEN, watching the charming Eggplant show, I got intrigued by Eva's recipe for Caponata di Melazane. It made me decide to take the plunge into hot oil, and now that wonderful dish is in our regular rotation. Now that it's summer weather, will probably do Pasta Alla Norma next.

[@ProTobagganist]

Deep fried scallops in flour batter a new years tradition where i live, fresh from the wharf. Home cured bacon made with real wood-smoke from mom's home town, holidays are the best time of year. Mom's brother's taught me the proper higher heat 60 second a side method in a pan, if that, keep the texture but cook it, thanks Mike and Carol. Deep-frying is awesome, made falafel's last week and they were way lighter when they came out, and no fat. Nice i can make them from scratch dried chickpeas in the summer with my garden ingredients mostly. I'm doing ravioli tomorrow for my sister i hadn't seen for five years because this channel inspired me to make dough, got a roller, watched the pro, floured and rolled the dough two or three times together on the first and second rolling, didn't stick at all. She doesn't explain all the things she's doing, little flour. Dough was perfect, punched back perfect first try after resting half an hour. 1 egg means 100gr plus or minus flour. I got the dough to 2 on my first try and it wasn't sticking to anything cause i lightly floured my surfaces a couple times and on the first few rolls i "blended" the dough in on itself on 6 which made it more consistent and less "shaggy", with a little extra flour.

[@BoffinGrusky]

Mrs Jones had a friend who had died, Into hot oil she’d fallen and fried, When folk came to her wake They all wept for her sake Then had french fries with sauce on the side. - Bev Pollard

[@CarolynEHS]

I just discovered and love your channel!! My grandparents were all from different parts of southern Italy! They are all gone now, but I miss them and their cooking so much! Thank you so much for bringing me back home 😍

[@BUNNYSVINTAGE]

Brings back memories of a little local restaurant near Lago di Garda. Huge piles of fritto misto on tables of big families. Glorious!

[@futuredirected]

I love fried food. My Aunt taught me. It’s delish! 😋

[@windermere2330]

At age 21 I was still living at home with my parents. I went out one night and came home pretty tipsy and decided to make fried chicken on my mother’s brand new stove. Mind you I had never fried anything before and this is before the Internet. Somehow I managed to set the stove on fire! I freaked out and grabbed the fire extinguisher next to the stove and was able to put out the fire. It made a HUGE mess! Grease and powder everywhere! Of course my parents woke up and came downstairs and were like “ what did you just do?” My mother was mad and yelled “my new stove!” She never cooks so I said, “it’s not like you’re gonna use it!“ Oooooooops! She did not like that! Needless to say since that day I have never fried. I am too mentally scarred. But maybe now I will try thanks to you guys!

[@nessavee2205]

That is absolutely hilarious 😂!! Glad you, your family and the house survived!

[@nancybyrd2221]

Moral of the story: Never drink and fry. Thus endeth the lesson.

[@windermere2330]

@@nancybyrd2221 yes! I think if I was sober I would’ve never have tried to fry chicken in the first place.

[@daniby9894]

​@@windermere2330 You just gotta be careful that oil doesn't start smoking black, becouse that's a sign that it might go on fire. Eva gave toraly legit advice and crispy dry fry is guaranteed, becouse I was taught same principles by my gran! Belive me, once you taste it, you'll have hard time to go ordering fried foods...

[@AussieAngeS]

My mum used to always be a whiz at frying foods, she always used fry her eggplants perfectly whereas I would burn it every single time lol. I love the fried apples and bananas you made Eva 😍

[@sewingwithnonie7452]

Y’all should try fried buttermilk cornbread! It’s amazing! In the south we fry everything so I have fried just about anything but my entire family love fried cornbread!

[@jpp7783]

I love the long, slow shots of slicing and prepping, in contrast to the “ooh look at me master chef, chop chop chop and the whole produce department is diced in 30 seconds” style. It makes it so sensual, and so pleasurable when we don’t treat everything like an Olympic race.

[@Lela68-theItaliangorl]

My mom is from Novara, and every time we went to visit her side of the family we went to a restaurant to eat fritto misto alla piemontese. Super delicious! 😋 Fried amaretti and “frittura dolce” (semolino) were my favorites. Fried brains, although delicious, were my less favorite

[@thsc9119]

I do fry but the fat forms a mist that gets over everything in the kitchen over time. This even applies to simple pan frying.

[@michaelmullard4292]

My mother always made fried zucchini but she sliced hers and layered it in a casserole with parmigiano-reggiano topped it with a light marinara. I can still smell it right now!

[@kymsalow7676]

My husband and I typically save our deep frying for the cold dark frozen period of late January/early February here in NE Iowa. It's so bleak at that time and the delectable deliciousness of deep fried food raises our spirits, offsetting how messy and unhealthy the food is. This video made me take a different look at frying. Great job on getting your point across! I'm excited to try the fried veggies. ❤

[@ANK72788]

Love watching you guys! In roccella ionica in Calabria right now and can’t stop eating polpette di melanzane e carne macinata. It’s my wife’s favorite. Would love to see a video on your take of that recipe! Also feel free to come to the beach in roccella for lunch with us it’s only 45 minutes from Dasa!

[@donscott6431]

Panelle!! I, am a, self-proclaimed, panelle King. I worked, in prep, at a considerably upscale restaurant which featured many different nationality foods. We had “panelle (or in French panece) stacks. This was a vegan entree which used sliced panelle just as Ava used, as the base, middle and top layers of a stacked dish, including a chutney of sun dried tomatoes, caponata, ect. In the first few weeks my right bicep grew bigger; then I learned, or figured out actually, how to use an immersion blender to make the process easier (I was making 3 full-sized sheet pans at a time). As for brains: HILLTOP restaurant in Evansville Indiana has the BEST fried pork brain sandwich, and I live in Tennessee…

[@interpolagent9]

Last night I watched your video with cauliflower. I just had to try the fritters. I just finished a batch, using your recipe. I used my cast iron pot to fry them. Omg, they turned out great. Deep frying at home is so satisfying. Fantastic recipe! Thanks, Eva and Harper!

[@fivemjs]

Evas expression when you quoted Silence of the Lambs was hilarious!

[@macer-music]

In the south of Portugal, between Lisbon and Algarve theres a region the Alentejo, and they have this delicacy they make for feast days, religious celebrations, weddings, etc, they roast baby lamb heads (with their brains) in clay trays in a wood oven, (who still has them!) which have been left to marinate for a night. Although I don't like brains, the cheeks are delicious!

[@BigYak]

I love frying! I HATE the used oil! For me there in lies the mess and reason to NOT fry.

[@matsim0]

Exactly

[@jpp7783]

Yes, particularly when you’re not frying a huge platter as Eva did in this video, you’re left with this barely-used oil that it seems wasteful to toss and that still has plenty of life left in it.

[@andycalimara]

Just fry up potatoes in the oil. Then you can use it again

[@niwa_s]

That plus stinking up the whole place. Just can't stand it.

[@matsim0]

@@jpp7783 you can filter it, but in the end you still have to find a solution..

[@donscott6431]

Fried pickle chips: use a very hearty (thicker and crunchy) pickle chip; I use Schwartz’s, flavored with jalapeño

[@DefenderTIM]

I render my own tallow for frying and use a 5-qt enameled cast-iron dutch oven with a stainless-steel spider, it's the perfect combo for the job. So many things are so much better when fried!

[@philgower]

Today was a fabulous cooking class! THANKS!

[@prodigygirl1]

I love polenta fries, I usually coat them in polenta flour first, it makes a nice crispy coating.

[@jammasterjay4298]

Love the frito misto !!!!one of my favorite dishes that I miss after living in Roma and other places in Italy

[@d.w.evans1182]

Stupid question maybe, but what do you do with the oil you’ve used, can it be cleaned and used for other recipes? And how many times would you use the same oil?

[@mhordijk0871]

Try some sugar and cinnamon on those apple slices, before you dip them in the batter. We call them appelbeignets and they are a staple on newyears eve, at least in the Netherlands.

[@rottie_mom13096]

Boy, she was not joking when she said EVERYTHING!! Love it :)

[@deidrecalabro5725]

I just started watching y'all and i love that eva has the inside on the nontraditional American Italian foods❤

[@sherizaahd]

I fried some polenta and served it with sage butter the last couple of weekends, it was a big hit.

[@traciannveno]

Talking about what kind of oil is gold. Thank you guys! I love frying this is wonderful.

[@peabody1976]

A thing about excess oil: if you're frying a fair bit of food, you can let the oil cool, then strain it and put it into a food-safe bottle and re-use it. You do have less time than with "fresh" oil, but especially if you fry a lot you can get two or even three uses out of the same oil. I would say that oil for fried fish might be harder to re-use than oil for fried veggies or other meats. But if waste is a factor in not frying, think about how to reuse the oil while it's still good.

[@gregmuon]

Frying seems to be pretty regional. I grew up around Sicilians who deep fried everything. My family rarely did, except for fried mixed vegetables for special occasions, and those were fried in a light batter (like tempura).

[@EvelynBaron]

Also shallow frying; my late husband made wicked morning potatoes no not greasy. I tried him out with Swiss Rostie (you have to flip it pretty similar he actually thought hm ok.

[@hildaovalle1455]

BTW, I would like to add that I just love your diction . One of the problems with many public speakers and people making KZbin videos is their inability to speak correctly. I must always use subtitles because otherwise I miss words that are slurred. People do not understand how important it is to pronounce properly. My compliments to you.

[@linpulver2106]

As a Brit, I really have to mention the deep-fried Mars Bar. yup- dipped in batter and deep-fried! Especially popular in Scotland I believe.

[@janetmackinnon3411]

Popular in Scotland with the tourists--it started off as a joke.

[@virginicaanderson1569]

Also deep fried ice cream !

[@stormxrdj3481]

we have deepfryers it is with a heatelement with themostat that keep the oil at the exact temperture at all times it is very easy

[@Melissaamerica.777]

I use a big high rimmed stock pot, but only put a small amount of oil. I do that only to keep the oil from splattering around all over and making a mess, prevent grease fire…

[@roseconklin5392]

Thank you Harper and Eva for this discussion! Italian fried foods is the BEST!

[@JB43186]

My Italian grandmother fried dough balls stuffed with anchovies in olive oil. They were delicious.

[@gnuemacs1166]

The most amazing fried thing is lukumides, Greek, not Italian but amazing, portugal too has some fried dishes, and even French can be made at home

[@riccardocarbo2479]

You guys are my favorite goto channel for anything Italian. Bravissimo. ❤

[@galoki5654]

that all looks amazing and brings back fond memories of my Nonna. My favorite are fried zucchini flowers... dusted with sugar

[@realCliffordJones]

Amazing. But HOLD IT! Where is the calamari? 😢

[@susanlindarice]

You are a brilliant teacher Ava and your cheerfulness is infectious-lucky Harper! I'm in UK and I grew up eating brains and liver etc(south england)

[@bmp72]

I fry using the same style of induction cooker. Mine has a temperature control setting, I just set it to 180 degC. For one person I deep fry in a small pot with only 2 cups of oil.

[@roy_for_real2674]

In The Netherlands we just use a special frying pan, works perfect. But most people only make pre-done food in it that you only have to finish frying.

[@smpbiker9233]

I have no fear of utilizing my frying superpower and I enjoy learning from your channel. Also a peanut oil fan but have honestly tried quite an array of choices. Our culture in this country is often swayed by the media to make our choices for us.

[@testicool013]

I grew up in a small mining town in Western Australia ,impossible to grow anything there so everything was trucked in but we always had good meat including lamb brains , it’s delicious

[@michellemeyer1649]

I am Sicilian and I’m not bragging but I’m a good cook and it takes a lot to impress me. Especially with Italian food. Eva……you are legit. You’re an excellent, excellent cook. I’m new the channel and I love all your content! ❤️

[@jcgirl3]

Yum. I know the fried apple discs and fried banana's from both my Dutch cuisine and Dutch Indonesian cuisine. The apple fritters we call 'Appel flappen' and the banana's 'Pisang goreng'.

[@rachaelbarr3735]

My mother and grandmother taught that potatoes "clean" oil. So, if you wanted to reuse oil after cooking onions or fish, but you didn't want those residual flavors, fry some potatoes in the used oil. Then filter and reuse (as long as not burnt). Grandma grew up in the Great Depression here in the states and was frugal her whole (and long and active!) life. I think the type of oil and frying "correctly" (@ a temp that seals the food, and not over heating the oil) are important components. Thanks for the fun and informative video! (I would have stuck around another ten minutes just to see you guys taste and comment on each food... If you took the footage, I bet I am not alone in wanting to see it! Thanks. :-) )

[@DeeDeeBirch]

Good morning 🌞 from East Tennessee 🙏🏼 I love your videos and the cooking is off the charts wonderful ‼️Ava is pure joy in her talent and I love to see your faces as you enjoy the flavor ☺️

[@robingianturco7830]

Semper nu’ spettacolo Eva !!Insegnamo noi Italici nel Mondo come si cucina sano.Grazie come sempre😊Harper fortunato !!!!!♥️🤣

[@kaioshinon5954]

The quality of your work is exuberant! great work Eva and amazing editing Harper, anyway great work both of you in everything that you do!

[@starlakelsey2782]

My grandparents lived to a nice old age. I grew up eating what they ate. Being from the south we had fried fatback very often. We weren't fat. We were healthy. I only gained weight when I moved away from them and started eating fast food. I cut fast food off and eat what ever I feel like. Fresh food no matter how I cook it and balance it out with a variety. It is easy. Plus don't eat all the sweet things you want. A bit here and there. Fry what you want. It doesn't seem to matter. At least with me and my husband. Learn how to cook. Watch channels like this. It is fun and a great challenge.

[@mhordijk0871]

Frying is a big part of the Dutch fastfood culture. There is at least one fry/chipshop in every village. You can find little electric fry ovens in many homes. Basket and everything. I have been cutting and frying my own fries, since i was 13, or something. I'm 52 now. Also; frikandellen (spiced meat stick), kroketten, bitterballen (breaded ragout), kaassoufle's (breaded slices of cheese) and a slough of other snacks. I recently made lekkerbekken (fried cod in a batter, like with fish and chips). Yeah. I think i can fry.

[@1014Donna]

My father would have loved Eva’s cooking! The goat head brought me back to Easter about 30 years ago. My father would roast it along with with the capretto al forno. I was always too squeamish to try.

[@ShadowHauk]

I always enjoy watching your videos because both Eva's accent and the food reminds me of my childhood. My aunt married into an Italian family, relatively new to the States, and I grew up with many of them a regular part of all the action that was always going on at my grandparents' home. You guys always bring those memories back. ;-)

[@Sjiesjam]

Fried applerings are eaten on New Year's Eve here in the Netherlands, also the floured fish is done here (herring usually )

[@tsun-dretheartofdre1369]

I started doing these tips 2 weeks ago and this video could have saved me so much time instead of searching myself

[@HopeLaFleur1975]

I fry everything and love using peanut oil is my favorite oil to use! My kids love the potato crocquets. That is our gold standard snack for cottage weekends ❤❤😋😋😋😋

[@datocco]

Try frying in a wok. Less spillage over the edge and the center has the deepest oil

[@johnpeschke7723]

Harper and Eva...i love your videos...special kudos to your music selections...

[@SaiaRose]

I have taught Natural health for 30 years and promote frying ! Frying does NOT hurt anyone ! Throw out the tasteless Air frying hype and enjoy Real delightful Fried FOOD ! Yummy thanks for this great share ....

[@rebeccamae9720]

YOU'RE absolutely right. Frying at home does sound messy and downright dangerous. Grease splatters and grease fires are a real threat. But your delicious video makes me rethink all this...

[@lorenzogiovacchini8781]

I love fried artichoke hearts: Carchofi Fritti!

[@ludmillam.grabetz7649]

Wow! This is great 👍 lots of choices to fry. Pickles fry is a great idea, and egg plant. Need to try! We have a restaurant in Canada called Harvey's they have fried pickles too. Really good with ranch dressing!

[@annscarpa1058]

God Bless You Eva. You are the best cook I have ever seen. Thank you for all your recipes. Harper you are one lucky and Bless man to have Eva as your wife. The two of you are the best couple. ❤❤

[@shainazion4073]

You can also use paper bags to put your fried food on, instead of paper towels.

[@rosannapizza6402]

ah thanks for the memory: when my parents were alive, my father demanded (he was born and raised in ITaly and very traditional) the vigilia di Natale (only fish .. not 7 or whatever because that's an American thing.. but fish to fast) and we had zeppoles as well (not bread and not sweet fair zeppoles.. more like a bread substitute).. I always nagged my mom who did the shopping while I did the cooking, to get paper bags at the shop rite when paper bags were still a thing here still (now in NJ all bags are banned and you have to bring your own which is ridiculous)

[@proteinpapi7595]

Good tip: you can use a wooden spoon either the back or front to check if the oil is hot enough. It should make little bubbles just like when you put bread crumbs in

[@petraliverani1247]

I'm not sure I'll take up frying but thank you Eva and Harper for presenting it in such a way that at least it doesn't seem overly daunting. In fact, I think I'll simply have to do it at least a couple of times now. Thank you.