Italian Fried Shrimp
Ingredients
- 20 - 30 large size shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail on
- 3 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 ½ cup Pecorino Romano grated cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano grated cheese
- 4 eggs
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- Canola or Vegetable Oil
- Olive Oil
Instructions
- Taking each of the shrimp - butterfly them so they stand like a book. To butterfly the shrimp, cut three-quarters of the way into the shrimp. Starting on the back spine, at the head and moving down the back to the start of the tail. Both halves must remain connected. Be careful not to split the shrimp into two different pieces. *See recipe video for tutorial*.
- Next, on a large flat plate, combine the Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, the panko breadcrumbs, and the grated cheese of your choice. Gently mix with your hands until all 3 are incorporated together.
- In a separate bowl, add your eggs, salt, and pepper. Whisk until combined.
- Next, dredge each shrimp into the egg mixture and then into the breadcrumb mixture until each shrimp is well coated on all sides. Don't be afraid to press the breadcrumb onto the shrimp. Put your breaded shrimp onto a plate. Repeat the process until all your shrimp are fully breaded. *If you run out of breadcrumbs or egg, just mix a new batch on a smaller scale.*
- In a cast iron pan, or deep-welled frying pan, pour enough canola or vegetable oil so that there is 1/4 of an inch of oil in the pan.
- Then add at least 2 cups of olive oil to the pan. This doesn't need to be exact.
- Turn on your burner on medium heat, and heat the oil until the end of a wooden spoon bubbles when you place it in the pan.
- Reduce your heat a small amount so you have a medium-low flame.
- Place 6 to 7 of your breaded shrimp in the oil so not to over crowd the pan. Fry until golden brown on all sides. Shrimp fry fast. 1 to 2 minutes per side.
- Remove your shrimp from the pan and place on a dry paper towel to remove the excess oil.
- Repeat the frying process until all your shrimp are cooked. Keep adding dry paper towel layers as your plate fill ups to drain the excess oil.