Tortillitas de Camarones
Originating from the bays of Cadiz, these are not thick, doughy pancakes. They should be translucent in places, held together by the snap of the shrimp and the earthiness of the chickpea flour.
The batter must rest to hydrate the flours.
If you fry immediately, the fritters will fall apart. Give the mixture at least fifteen minutes to settle before you start the heat.
- heavy-bottomed skillet
- whisk
- slotted spoon
- paper towels
What goes in.
- 1/2 cupchickpea flour
- 1/4 cupall-purpose flour
- 1 cupice-cold water
- 1/2 lbtiny salad shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tbspfresh parsley, finely minced
- 2 tbspscallion, green parts only, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tspsea salt
- as neededextra virgin olive oil for frying
Mastering the lace effect
Pour the batter into the center of the oil from a ladle held low. Do not spread it with a spoon; let the batter naturally find its shape and thin out as it hits the hot fat.
The method.
Whisk the base
Combine the chickpea flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and water in a bowl. Whisk until perfectly smooth, then stir in the shrimp, parsley, and scallions.
Heat the oil
Pour olive oil into the skillet to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Bring it to medium-high heat. Test it by dropping a tiny bead of batter—it should sizzle and rise immediately.
Fry the fritters
Ladle the batter into the oil. Work in small batches so they don't crowd. Fry for roughly 2 minutes per side until the edges turn deep gold and crisp.
Drain and serve
Remove with a slotted spoon, tilting it to let excess oil drip away. Transfer to paper towels for a few seconds before serving hot.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Keep the water ice-cold; the thermal shock helps the fritter crisp faster.
If your shrimp are large, chop them into small pieces so they don't weigh down the batter.
Use a light olive oil if you find the flavor of extra virgin too aggressive for the shrimp.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I replace the chickpea flour?
Chickpea flour is essential for the texture and the specific nutty finish. Replacing it with wheat flour will result in a standard pancake, not a true tortillita.
Why did my fritters turn out doughy?
The oil wasn't hot enough. If the temperature drops, the batter absorbs the oil instead of frying in it.
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