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Title: Fried Smelts
Categories: Jewish Pileggi Fish
Yield: 1 Servings
| 20 | To 24 smelts, heads removed | |
| 3 | Eggs | |
| 1/4 | c | Water |
| 1/2 | c | Flour |
| 1 | c | Matzo meal |
| 2 | ts | Salt |
| 1/4 | ts | White pepper |
| 1/2 | c | Corn or safflower oil |
| 2 | md | Onions, sliced |
Wash smelts and pat dry w/paper towels.
In a bowl, mix together eggs and water. In another bowl mix together flour, matzo meal, salt, and pepper. Dip smelts first in beaten egg mixture and then dredge in flour-matzo mixture.
In a heavy skillet, heat oil and saute onion slices for a few minutes. Push onions to side and fry smelts for a few minutes on each side. Continue cooking onions on side of pan until all smelts are fried. The fried smelts should be golden and crisp and onions should be a dark golden brown. Serve w/boiled, parsleyed potatoes and green vegetable. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
NOTE: There were only four ways and three types of fish that were prepared and served to us when I was growing up -- there was gefilte fish, baked whitefish, fried flounder, and fried smelts. The smelts were my favorite. If they were very tiny, we would them bones and all. If they were large smelts, we would slit the fish along back, lift flesh, and remove spine. Either way, they are really good, w/a sweet flavor.
Recipe: Mama Leah's Jewish Kitchen by Leah Loeb Fischer w/Maria Poluskin Robbins. C 1990 Published by MacMillan Publishing Company. D. Pileggi
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