About the Recipe
With minimal fat and no heavy sauces required, these fritters make an excellent refined starter, light lunch, or plated component in a balanced meal.
Ingredients
120 g radicchio, sliced into thin ribbons (about ½ cm thick)
120 ml whole milk
80 g all-purpose flour
20 g corn starch
1 egg
½ tsp baking powder
1 small pinch baking soda
15 g butter (melted, plus extra for cooking)
½ tsp salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Preparation
1. Prepare the batter
In a bowl, whisk together the egg and milk until fully combined.Add the melted butter while whisking gently.
In a separate bowl, combine:
Flour
Corn starch
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt and pepper
Gradually add the dry ingredients into the milk mixture, whisking until smooth. The batter should be thick but still pourable—similar to pancake batter. Let it rest for 10–15 minutes to hydrate the flour and activate the leavening.
Tip: Resting improves both fluffiness and structure.
2. Prepare the radicchio
Slice the radicchio into thin ribbons. If particularly bitter, you may soak briefly in cold water for 5 minutes and dry thoroughly. This step is optional and depends on your taste preference.
3. Pan-fry the fritters
Heat a nonstick or cast-iron pan over medium heat and add a small knob of butter.
Pour small discs of batter directly into the pan (about 6–8 cm diameter).
Immediately place a small nest of radicchio ribbons onto each fritter while the batter is still wet, gently pressing them so they bond with the batter.
Cook for 2–3 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and crisp.
Flip carefully and cook another 2 minutes until golden and fully set.
Add a small amount of butter between batches if needed.
4. Finish and serve
Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel briefly, then serve immediately while warm and crisp.