Sage is the Tuscan aromatic herb of choice and part of the classic trio with bay leaves and rosemary.
Every farmhouse has a sage plant in a sunny spot near the kitchen door as its leaves have been used for centuries both to flavor a variety of traditional dishes and for home remedies. The name Salvia comes from Latin “Salvis” which means to save, to cure and it was already used in Ancient Rome and the Middle Ages as antidote for snake bites, to whiten teeth and to dye hair.
Salvia fritta is one of the recipes that brings back childhood memories as I would be sent to collect the biggest leaves while olive oil was already warming up to deliver the delicious crispy crust enveloping the distinctive flavor punch of sage…even the thought of it makes my mouth water!
You only need a handful of ingredients which only means one thing: quality of sage and olive oil is of paramount importance!
Some versions use eggs for the batter but I prefer the lighter version which uses beer instead.
Ingredients
4 spoons of flour
1 pinch of salt
50 ml of light beer
100 ml of water
30 sage leaves
Extra virgin olive oilPrepare the batter by mixing the flour with salt, water and beer in a bowl. Add the liquids a little at a time to avoid lumps. Let the batter rest in the fridge for half an hour.
Wash the sage leaves and dry them gently, leaving the stem.
Heat two fingers of olive oil in a large pan, dip the sage in the batter and hold it to drain it slightly. When the oil is hot, lay the sage well spaced in the pan and fry it for a very short time on each side, until it is crispy and golden.
Drain the sage from the oil, place it on a plate with a few sheets of kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil and season it with a little kosher salt.
Serve super hot with a glass of Chianti- buon appetito!