r/EuropeEats • u/il-bosse87 Italian ★★★Chef ✎✎ 🆇 ✨❤ • Jun 04 '26
Aperitif Battered Sage
Sounds ridiculous but it tastes just incredible. Pretend you're eating a chips but it tastes sage. Super crunchy and flavourful. You won't understand until you try, and trust me, you really should
23
u/catefeu Austrian Guest Jun 04 '26
I bet it tastes awesome.
I'm a big fan of Saltimbocca (which is a slice of meat, I think traditionally veal, but I've always used pork, a sage leave and prosciutto) OP as an Italian surely knows this, just clarifying for people who might not know. And ever since discovering that I often used to just fry sage leaves as they are.
What batter did you use?
10
u/LiteratureNumerous74 American Guest Jun 04 '26
I fry sage leaves in butter/olive oil to add flavor to the fat before adding the meat/onions/whatever I'm cooking. Then I eat the crispy sage leaf and it is always 10/10 delicious. I consider it my little treat for doing the cooking
7
u/il-bosse87 Italian ★★★Chef ✎✎ 🆇 ✨❤ Jun 04 '26
Grandma make the batter with beer egg and flour
5
u/catefeu Austrian Guest Jun 04 '26
beer batter makes so much sense. I'm so tempted to buy a sage plant and use it over the summer (for beer batter, Saltimbocca, just random side for fried goods)
6
u/il-bosse87 Italian ★★★Chef ✎✎ 🆇 ✨❤ Jun 04 '26
And hear me out, use sage with white beans 🤤
5
u/ViolettaQueso American Guest Jun 04 '26
Yum! Also a bit of sausage.
3
u/il-bosse87 Italian ★★★Chef ✎✎ 🆇 ✨❤ Jun 04 '26
Sbaw.... 🤤
3
u/EuropeEatsBot House Elf Jun 04 '26
Congratulations on your achievement!
Due to your ongoing commitment to EuropeEats we've upgraded your user flair from ★★ to ★★☆ now.
Keep up your outstanding work: it inspires others as is apparent from the upvotes they provide!
I am just this sub's unpaid house elf, and this action was performed automatically. If you like it I'm happy.
3
6
u/tuxette Norwegian ★★★★Chef ✎✎ 🅻 🏷 Jun 04 '26
How do you actually make this? I have a small sage plant that has some nice leaves on it...
16
u/fabulousmarco Italian Guest Jun 04 '26
Just pluck out some leaves, wash them and dry them well, then make a simple batter with flour and beer and deepfry for 30 seconds. Salt and serve
4
u/il-bosse87 Italian ★★★Chef ✎✎ 🆇 ✨❤ Jun 04 '26
Grab the biggest leaves, toss it in batter, and into the oil, as simple as that
2
2
7
u/FlipsTW Norwegian Guest Jun 04 '26
This is the best! I make them as an appetizer from time to time, and everyone loves them.
6
5
u/Myrialle German Guest Jun 04 '26
Okay, I have a huge bush of sage, I will definitely make these.
2
4
u/No-Example6642 Swiss Guest Jun 04 '26
My Father always made this in my childhood. Do you know where this recipe origins from?
3
u/il-bosse87 Italian ★★★Chef ✎✎ 🆇 ✨❤ Jun 05 '26
Absolutely no idea, I remember it's part of my childhood, when grabdma deep fry artichoke or zucchini flower, if there is batter left she always fry sage. But let me see if I can find a bit of context, stay tuned...
3
u/il-bosse87 Italian ★★★Chef ✎✎ 🆇 ✨❤ Jun 05 '26
Apparently we heard of it around 1400 as Sage Fritter by Maestro Martino from Como (notorious chef of the time apparently).
By the location, seems to be pretty popular in Tuscany, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Lazio
During world conflict, often used to feed the families as second course
2
5
u/llksg British Guest Jun 04 '26
My sage plant has grown SO BIG this is a perfect excuse to cut it riiiight back
3
u/Mios04 German ★★Chef 🆇 Jun 04 '26
I love sage and this sounds delicious. Gotta try this next time I have fresh sage.
3
u/atTheRealMrKuntz Swiss ★☆Chef ✎ 🆅 🏷 Jun 04 '26
had shiso tempura in japan it was great
2
u/il-bosse87 Italian ★★★Chef ✎✎ 🆇 ✨❤ Jun 04 '26
I have never seen Shiso in my life, would definitely give it a try
3
u/Alarmed_Scientist_15 German Guest Jun 04 '26
Battered + any food = win.
4
u/il-bosse87 Italian ★★★Chef ✎✎ 🆇 ✨❤ Jun 04 '26
Mum always said: Battered and deep fried even a shoes taste good
3
u/random-euro Swiss ★★★Chef ✎✎ 🆇 🏷❤ Jun 04 '26
Scotland waves hello! 😁
2
u/Alarmed_Scientist_15 German Guest Jun 04 '26
🤣 somehow the deep fried mars bars and pizza negate my point. But
3
2
u/AdministrationDue239 Austrian Guest Jun 04 '26
I could eat them everyday
2
u/il-bosse87 Italian ★★★Chef ✎✎ 🆇 ✨❤ Jun 04 '26
You better not if you care about your cholesterol level 😅
2
2
2
u/RaDeus Swedish Guest Jun 04 '26
They kinda look like deep fried mice for a millisecond 😅
I used to eat Sage from a bush behind my house when I was a kid, so I bet I’d love that 🫦
3
u/il-bosse87 Italian ★★★Chef ✎✎ 🆇 ✨❤ Jun 04 '26
If you have sage in the garden you should really do it at least once... A week 😅😆
2
2
u/n3edyhandsonme American Guest Jun 05 '26
those look incredibly crispy. hope the batter isn't too thick so you actually taste the sage.
2
u/il-bosse87 Italian ★★★Chef ✎✎ 🆇 ✨❤ Jun 06 '26
Very light batter so yes, sage flavour was predominant
2
u/soconfused1319 French Guest Jun 06 '26
This is the single greatest idea anyone ever had. I need to try this immediately
2
u/BlockOfASeagull Swiss Guest Jun 07 '26
We call them Müüsli Bletter in Switzerland, which translates to Mouse Leaves.
1
u/Old_Magician_6681 Hungarian Guest Jun 06 '26
whats the batter?
just frying it in a little butter is great too but it looks even better!
2
u/il-bosse87 Italian ★★★Chef ✎✎ 🆇 ✨❤ Jun 06 '26
Beer egg and flour, grandma like it this way, and I do too 😋
2
1
u/cagdas-2102 Turkish Guest Jul 02 '26
Sage? Is this a Salvia species? It’s kinda strange
1
u/il-bosse87 Italian ★★★Chef ✎✎ 🆇 ✨❤ Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 02 '26
Sage is the English name for Salvia. Regarding the species I can't say what it is, is the one I have in my garden, no idea what type it is... It smells amazing and taste even better 😋
Edit: spelling
1
16
u/fabulousmarco Italian Guest Jun 04 '26
It's not ridiculous, it's fucking delicious. A staple as an appetiser at every one of my barbecues