Small school fish are caught in shallow bays around Malta using hand-held seine nets. Floats keep the nets up on the surface, so the method doesn’t damage the seabed like trawlers. It’s a preferred fishing technique that I hope Malta holds on to. These fritters traditionally contain onion and garlic, but I like to taste only the fish with a fresh dash of lemon and herbs, so I leave them out (but you can add if you like). While the fritters are usually cooked in a frying pan in the kitchen, they can easily be cooked on a flat barbecue near the beach or by the pool – they are beautiful on a hot day. Serve them with a green salad, or my White bean salad. The recipe makes four fritters, but you can make them smaller if you want to serve as an appetiser.
Ingredients 10
250 g whitebait
2 tbsp cornflour
3 eggs, 1 whole egg, 2 egg whites separated
1⁄2 lemon zest, finely grated
1 tbsp mint, finely chopped
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1⁄2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
80 ml sunflower oil, for frying
lemon wedges, to serve
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Method 5
Combine the and in a mixing bowl and toss until the fish is evenly coated.
Separate the , placing the yolk in a small bowl and the white with the other 2 egg whites. Whisk the egg yolk. Beat the 2 egg whites to firm peaks in a separate bowl.
Stir the through the , then fold in the egg whites, , , and some pepper.
Heat half the in a frying pan over a medium heat. Use a large spoon to scoop a quarter of the mixture into one side of the pan. Add another scoop to the other side. Cook the fritters for a couple of minutes on each side, until lightly golden.
Drain the fritters on paper towels while you continue to cook the remaining 2 fritters with the remaining . Serve with lemon wedges.
Simon Bajada's tips
You can add onion and garlic as per tradition if you prefer.
