Crispy Fried Mushrooms

Serves 4, Preparation time 20 mins, Cooking time 20 mins

• 400 g of fresh mushrooms (or the frozen one)
• breadcrumbs, to taste
• 4 eggs, beaten
• Durum wheat semolina flour or corn flour, to taste
• Grated Parmigiano, a tbsp – optional
• a pinch of salt
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil for frying, alternative peanut oil

Method

The packaged fresh mushrooms have already had their first cleaning, but, unless they still have visible soil at the end of the stem, it is good to clean them again. This is not necessary for the frozen ones, of course.

Ok, but how to clean mushrooms then?

Mushrooms should never have been washed under running water or soaked in a basin because they would absorb too much water and compromise both taste and quality during any cooking, as well as releasing water.

Mushrooms are cleaned by cutting the earthy final part of the stem with a knife and passing over them a cloth or some damp kitchen paper or even scratching them delicately with a kitchen brush, avoiding putting them in direct contact with the water.

Prepare a bowl with the beaten eggs without adding salt and another one with breadcrumbs and durum wheat semolina flour mixed together. Alternatively to semolina you can use corn flour. You can also add a tablespoon of grated Parmigiano cheese to your breadcrumbs.

Cut mushrooms to their length or into pieces not too thin and possibly all of the same size. You can also leave some whole and then eat it with a knife and fork.

Heat the Evoo oil in a pan, to see if it is hot to the right point, do the toothpick test or even dip a pinch of breadcrumbs, if they are making little bubbles, then you are there.

Pass mushrooms in the beaten eggs, then pass them in the breadcrumbs with the semolina or corn flour, and fry them in a pan with high sides, possibly.

Tip: put only three or four mushrooms at a time, do not fry them all together or the oil temperature will drop and will not guarantee good frying and the mushrooms (like anything else you fry) will absorb too much oil. Better to avoid this method, right? 

Fry each mushroom for a couple of minutes and then drain on a plate with a double layer of absorbent kitchen paper.
If you see that there is too much oil on the paper, transfer the mushrooms to another dish and again with a double layer of paper. Do not cover them with other kitchen paper or the water that evaporates moistens the mushrooms and they will no longer be crunchy.
Add a pinch of salt and bring them warm and crunchy to the table.