Due ricette per gustarli: bolliti con il limone e fritti in pastella.

FOR 4 PEOPLE

Ingredients for "bianchetti" with lemon

500 grams of "bianchetti" (whitebait)

1 lemon

extra virgin Taggiasca olive oil 

salt to taste

Directions

Quickly wash the whitebait with salted water.

Boil a pot of salted water, dip the whitebait and drain them as soon as they start to boil.

Put the whitebait on the serving dish, season them with western Liguria extra virgin olive oil, salt and a few drops of lemon to taste

Ingredients for pancakes

4 ounces of "bianchetti" (whitebait)

5 tablespoons of flour

1 sprig of parsley

¼ of crushed garlic clove

salt to taste

Directions*

Rinse the whitebait under the tap, pour them into a bowl and add the flour, parsley, and garlic.

Heat the pan with plenty of oil, when it boils pour spoonfuls of batter with the whitebait and fry.

Fry on both sides and serve hot on absorbent paper.

*This is the version of the fishermen: there is another version that requires the addition of 2 eggs.
However the fishermen negatively commented on this recipe because according to them the whitebait is so delicate that the eggs cover their flavor.