Ingredients (~8-10 servings)
- 1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 lbs medium-sized asparagus, woody ends cut off
- Peanut or vegetable oil for frying
Set Up Your Breading Station
Put 1/2 cup of flour in a shallow dish – a paper plate works great for easy cleanup.
Combine the remaining 1/4 cup flour, bread pieces, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a food processor; process until finely ground. Transfer this mixture to a large zip-top bag.
Whisk together eggs and 1 Tbsp water in another shallow dish.
Bread the Asparagus Spears
Rinse the asparagus but don’t dry them – the water helps the flour stick better.
Working in batches, coat each spear in flour first, then dip in the egg wash, and finally drop 2-3 spears at a time into the bag with the breadcrumb mixture.
Shake to coat completely and lay them on a baking sheet until you’re ready to fry.
The coating might look a little thick but that’s what gives you the crunch.
Heat Oil to 350F and Fry in Batches
Line a plate with paper towels and pour at least 1 inch of oil into a Dutch oven.
Heat oil to 350F – use a thermometer since the temperature really matters here.
Fry asparagus in batches for ~1-2 minutes until golden brown, then transfer to the paper towel-lined plate.
Don’t overcrowd the pot or the temperature drops and they get soggy instead of crispy.
Fried Asparagus
Ingredients
~8-10 servings
- 1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 slices hearty white sandwich bread torn into 1-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 lbs medium-sized asparagus woody ends cut off
- Peanut or vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Pulse bread, 1/4 cup flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne in food processor until finely ground.
- Transfer breadcrumb mixture to large zip-top bag.
- Whisk eggs with 1 Tbsp water in shallow dish.
- Rinse asparagus and coat each spear in flour, then egg wash, then breadcrumb mixture.
- Heat 1 inch oil in Dutch oven to 350F.
- Fry asparagus in batches 1-2 minutes until golden brown.
- Drain on paper towels.
