Cooking Instructions
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Step 1
Rinse and dry the
Zucchini (905 g)
and trim off the stem and the blossom ends. With a sharp knife, slice the squash lengthwise into strips about 1/8-inch thick; flexible but not paper-thin.
Step 2
Dump the
All-Purpose Flour (185 g)
into a wide bowl or shallow dish. In another wide bowl, beat the
Eggs (5)
well with
Salt (3 g)
and
Freshly Ground Black Pepper (to taste)
. Set a wide colander on a plate, to drain the battered strips before frying.
Step 3
Tumble 5 or 6 zucchini strips at a time in the flour, coating them well on both sides. Shake off loose flour and slide the strips in the beaten eggs. Turn and separate the strips with a fork so they're all covered with batter; pick them up one at a time and let excess egg drip back into the bowl; then lay them in the colander.
Step 4
Pour
Canola Oil (as needed)
into the skillet to a depth of 1/3-inch and set it over medium-high heat. Cover a baking sheet or large platter with several layers of paper toweling and place it near the stove.
Step 5
When the oil is very hot but not smoking, quickly slip several strips into the skillet, using kitchen tongs or a long fork to avoid spatters of hot oil. Don't crowd the strips, no more than 7 at a time in a 12-inch pan, so they crisp quickly and don't absorb excess oil.
Step 6
Maintain the heat so the strips are sizzling actively. Cook on the first side for a minute and a half or so, then flip them over. They should be nicely colored on the first side; if not, raise the heat slightly. Cook the second side for another minute or so, until golden and crisp, then transfer the strips to the paper towels. Lay them flat in a single layer and sprinkle them while hot with pinches of salt.
Step 7
It's best to let them cool uncovered, but if you need the space, lay paper towels over a sheet of strips for draining the next ones to come out of the skillet. Let the slices cool for a few minutes.
Step 8
Place a fried strip pointing away from you on your work table, with the wider end facing you. Place 3 or 4
Capers (15 g)
on that end, then roll the strip tightly, enclosing the capers in the center. Stick a toothpick all the way through the roll-up, so it stays together. Roll up all the strips, or as many as you want.
Step 9
Just before serving, stand the roll-ups on end and squeeze
Lemon (1/2)
, through a strainer to catch the seeds, all over the spiral tops. Arrange them on a serving platter. If you like, scatter another teaspoon or so of drained capers all over. Serve immediately with your favorite marinara sauce.
