When I opened The Silver Spoon and saw, “EATING IS A SERIOUS MATTER,” in large, robust lettering, I knew this was my kind of cookbook. Everyone knows that eating is a serious matter—if you don’t you should! Food sustains us from day to day, but it also does so much more than that. In many ways, what we eat represents who we are. Our culture, traditions, memories, and celebrations are often linked with food.

The Silver Spoon is a tome (over 1500 pages long) of authentic Italian cooking, ranging from classic dishes, such as spaghetti and tiramisu, to more exotic fare, such as heart kabobs and frogs in batter. It doesn’t disappoint.

Inspired and ready to cook, I set out to make a three-course dinner, and it was an epicurean dream! Wanting to try something new, I decided on an Italian antipasto of fried sage. The concept intrigued me. Americans fry lots of food, but the thought of frying herbs was novel. What would it taste like?

Sage is a soft, velvety herb with an earthy, savory flavor. Frying it adds a nice contrast to the soft leaves, providing a crunchy texture. It’s a taste that truly needs to be experienced—no words can do it justice. The fried sage was a light, flavorful start to the meal and paired well with Pinot Grigio. Next post I will be sharing the second course of this wonderful meal. In the meantime, enjoy!

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Fried Sage Appetizer

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Serves	4
Meal type	Appetizer
Region	Italian
From book	The Silver Spoon

An Italian antipasto of fried sage. A earthy, savory delight!

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 30 fresh sage leaves
• 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
• olive oil (for frying)
• salt
• diced provolone cheese (or other mild cheese)

Note

When coating sage in egg and bread crumbs, make sure the leaves are flat and open. Otherwise, the bread crumbs will not fully stick to the entire leaves.

Directions

Step 1

Beat the egg with a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add the sage leaves, making sure they are immersed, and let stand for 2 minutes. Drain the leaves well and dip in the bread crumbs to coat. Heat plenty of olive oil in skillet, and the sage leaves, and cook until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve with provolone.