Fried sage sandwiches (salvia imbottita)

1 batch

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
8 slices White bread
4 ounces Mozzarella cheese
16 larges Fresh sage leaves
½ cup Cold milk (approximately)
2 cups All-purpose flour (scant)
½ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons Olive oil
1 To 1 1/2 qts. vegetable oil
Salt; to taste
1 Lemon; cut in wedges
2 Extra-large eggs; separated
¼ cup Vodka
1 cup ;Cold water

Directions

BATTER

To make the batter, sift the flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the flour, then add, one at a time, the salt, pepper, olive oil, egg yolks, vodka and water. As each ingredient is added, mix it thoroughly with a little of the flour before adding the next. When all the ingredients are incorporated, beat with a wooden spoon until the batter is smooth. Let stand, covered, in a cool place for about 2 hours.

Cut the bread slices in half and the mozzarella into 8 slices. To prepare 'sandwiches,' place 1 sage leaf on top of 8 of the bread half-slices, top each with a slice of mozzarella, another sage leaf, and finally another half-slice of bread. Place all the prepared sandwiches on a large platter, sprinkle a few drops of the cold milk over them, then turn the sandwiches and sprinkle the other side.

Gently press each sandwich so the layers adhere well to one another.

(The sandwiches can be covered and refrigerated until needed at this point.)

Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or deep skillet to about 375 F.

Just before the oil is ready, beat the egg whites, preferably with a wire whisk in a copper bowl, until stiff but not dry. Very gently fold them into the batter with a wooden spoon until completely incorporated.

Line a serving dish with paper towels. Dip each sandwich in the batter and gently place it in the hot oil. Cook, turning if necessary, until lightly golden on both sides (about 1 minute), then use a strainer-skimmer to transfer them to the prepared dish. When all the sandwiches are cooked, sprinkle with salt, remove the paper towels, and serve with lemon wedges.

Yield: 6 appetizer servings.

From Giuliano Bugialli of Florence, Italy in "Cooking with Herbs" by Emelie Tolley and Chris Mead. New York: Clarkson N. Potter, Inc., 1989. Pg. 257. Posted by Cathy Harned.

Submitted By CATHY HARNED On 10-15-94

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