Battered Baccalà Fillet and White Wine

If you find yourself in Rome, after a day among monuments and museums, don't miss out on one of the most indulgent street foods around.

The filetto di Baccalà in Pastella.
There are several spots, steeped in the most authentic Roman tradition, true institutions, where amid teasing banter and laughter you wait your turn to be handed, wrapped in straw paper, a crispy, golden Filettone di Baccalà fried on the spot in large pans of boiling oil.

Pick one of the many little piazzas that open up before you and enjoy your fillet.
You'll feel like you're on the set of "Del Marchese del Grillo" – and don't forget to pair this treat with a good wine. There are plenty of Enoteche nearby: you could pick up an "Est! Est!! Est!!! Di Montefiascone" from Azienda Trappolini di Viterbo. Pleasantly fresh and savory, with an enveloping minerality and clear notes of yellow peach, it is perfect for cutting through the richness of the fillet and opening you up to the pleasures of a Roman cuisine that is unpretentious but full of flavor and history.
If instead, once back home, you'd like to recreate this piece of street food for your friends, here is the recipe:

Preparation:

600 grams of baccalà fillets
100 grams of flour
sparkling mineral water
pepper
seed oil

1. Soak the baccalà in water for 24/48 hours to desalt it completely, changing the water every 7–8 hours at most.

2. Clean the baccalà and rinse it under water, then drain it well and cut it into strips about 2 cm wide. Let it rest in a colander so that it loses all excess water.

3. Prepare the batter by mixing the flour and enough water with a fork to obtain a smooth mixture that is neither too runny nor too thick. Insert the fork into the mixture and check that, when lifted, the batter slides off slowly without sticking – but doesn't run off like water either. That's how you know it's ready.

4. Heat the oil in a tall pot, then take the baccalà fillets and coat them in the batter, turning them continuously. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), gently lower them in and let them fry for about 10 minutes, turning them with a fork.

5. Drain on absorbent paper or straw paper and serve hot.

May this pairing delight your palates – see you at the next abbinamento cibo vino.