Easy Capitone Fritto Recipe - Italian Eeel Recipe (2024)

Considered a staple for the Feast of the Seven Fishes, especially for Napoletanos, Capitone Fritto is not just any fried fish. It’s a traditional dish steeped in history and tradition. It even has a somewhat shocking story about it. According to custom, it is best that you buy live eels and kill them right when you’re about to cook or fry them. In one story, it is said that some Italian immigrants in North America would keep the eels in an aquarium, or in the bathtub, after buying live ones in the market. In one story, a local nonna would personally kill the eels herself… by the bathtub. Kind of graphic, but most probably true. After all, it is part of the custom.

It’s Tradition

Stories and urban legends aside though, most Italians do consider eels as a celebratory food and would certainly prepare it for special occasions, particularly during religious holidays such as La Vigilia, or more precisely, Cena della Vigilia di Natale in Naples.

Among the many traditional foods in Italy during Christmas season are Italian sweets and pastries such as cuccidati and panettone. But in other areas, particularly in southern Italy, it’s the cooking and eating of various seafood dishes that is the main theme.

Easy Capitone Fritto Recipe - Italian Eeel Recipe (1)

In the city of Naples, the consumption of eels during Christmas Eve is not just a common practice, it’s actually considered an important tradition. As a matter of fact, if you ask anyone in this corner of the Campania region, many of them will give you the exact same answer. “Because il capitone is tradition.” And in many family tables, one is not allowed to leave the table without eating eel.

Aside from its consumption, and as mentioned above, part of the tradition is the buying of live eels and its preparation before cooking. There’s even a specific market in Naples known for having the best eels during the holiday season, Porta Nolana. And the place is typically open until the early hours of the morning, for vendors to be able to sell their capitone veraci (live eels in English) to early market goers.

According to historians, this custom of buying, preparing, cooking, and consuming eels during Christmas Eve has been around for hundreds of years.

Origin Theory

So how does eating eels relate to the Christian celebration of having Christmas Eve dinner with family and friends? One of the most popular theories regarding this is the similarities of an eel to a snake. According to one theory, the eel symbolizes the snake in the Garden of Eden that tempted Adam and Eve. It is said that killing and eating eels signifies the killing of the snake in the story of The Original Sin. Due to this comparison, it is considered good luck to eat kill and eat eels during Christmas Eve because it’s like the victory of Christians over Satan, of Good over Evil.

Well, as traditions go, this one certainly has quite interesting background stories. Don’t you think?

How toMake Capitone Fritto?

Easy Capitone Fritto Recipe - Italian Eeel Recipe (2)

If you’re a bit hesitant about the prepping phase of the recipe, you can ask the fish vendors to clean and cut the eels for you when you buy them. This may also be a good option for you if it’s your first time making Capitone Fritto. That way you can learn how to properly cut it by observing how the fish vendors do it.

Now, if you had the fish already cleaned and cut, you can skip the first part of the recipe, except for the washing bit.

Easy Capitone Fritto Recipe - Italian Eeel Recipe (3)

Easy Capitone Fritto Recipe

The capitone fritto is one of the fishes you'll find in the Feast of the Seven Fishes menu. Try our recipe!

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Course: Seafood

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 68kcal

Author: Guido Pedrelli

Ingredients

  • 2 large eels
  • 150 grams flour
  • laurel or bay leaves
  • peanut oil or any oil for frying
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Prepare the eel by cutting the head and tail with a good kitchen knife. And then cut the fish into rectangles or cubes. Wash them and set aside.

  • In a pan, put peanut oil and bring to medium heat.

  • Cover each piece of cut eel with flour, and fry them. Fry the pieces for approximately 10 minutes, flipping the pieces after a few minutes, or when one side turns golden. Make sure that both sides are golden brown.

  • Once both sides are done, turn off the heat and transfer to a dish covered with tissue paper.

  • Let it cool for a minute or two, and allow the excess oil to be absorbed by the tissue paper.

  • Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with laurel or bay leaves.

  • Serve to waiting guests and family.

Calories: 68kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Potassium: 20mg | Vitamin A: 10IU | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.9mg

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Buon appetito!

Easy Capitone Fritto Recipe - Italian Eeel Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Easy Capitone Fritto Recipe - Italian Eeel Recipe? ›

To Make Fried Eel

What is the best way to cook eel? ›

Once eel has been cleaned of residual blood, pat the eel dry on the inside and out. Rub salt all over the eel. Place the eel into a pan or cast iron skillet and generously drizzle with oil. Roast until the skin is crispy and browned and the meat is tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

How to make eel tender? ›

It is not uncommon to cook eel more than once. In Eastern Japan, they grill, steam, and then grill their eel again. This helps make the meat very tender!

What is the traditional dish of eels? ›

Unadon is a Japanese dish consisting of grilled unagi (eel) fillets placed on top of steamed rice. The eel is grilled kabayaki-style, where the fish is split, gutted, butterflied, cut into squares, skewered, then diped in tare sauce before being grilled.

How to prepare smoked eel? ›

You now need to rinse it well with water and then dry it thoroughly - the fillets need to be perfectly dry. Place the fish skin-side down on a rack, and get the smoker ready. Put the rack in the smoker, and leave to smoke for around 8 hours. After 8 hours your smoked eel will be ready to eat.

Is it healthy to eat eel? ›

It is believed to have the effect of nourishing energy and blood. Modern medical research also indicates that eels provide a significant amount of vitamin A, D, and B12, as 100 grams of eel meat can provide enough vitamin A and B12 for an adult's daily needs.

How long does it take to cook eel? ›

To Make Grilled Eel

Grill the pieces over a medium flame for about 30 minutes, turning them frequently and basting them with additional olive oil.

Why is my eel chewy? ›

Hence, eels have to be cleaned and cooked properly, as raw eel is poisonous, while overcooked eel becomes very chewy and not very pleasant tasting. Eels have to be cleaned and cooked properly, as raw eel is poisonous, while overcooked eel becomes very chewy and not very pleasant tasting.

Can you eat eel raw? ›

Eels' blood is poisonous, which discourages other creatures from eating them. A very small amount of eel blood is enough to kill a person, so raw eel should never be eaten. Their blood contains a toxic protein that cramps muscles, including the most important one, the heart.

How do you cook eel fillets? ›

Normally eel fillets come sliced in half lengthwise, so cut your 2 eel fillets in half width-wise so they can fit on top of your rice bowl. Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil. Lay the fillets on top and brush with vegetable oil. Place on the grilling unit and grill for 5-7 minutes, or until nicely browned.

Why do Italians eat eel? ›

Eel is a very fatty, rich fish, thus very nutritious, but has always been cheap to buy; this means that, in the past, even the poorest could afford it, making it a traditional dish on many a table in Naples, even during the harshest times.

Why do Asians eat eel? ›

Eel is so popular in Japan, they have a special day for eating it; the midsummer day of the Ox (between mid-July and August). The Japanese eat it during the hotter months because it is rich in vitamins and thought to increase stamina.

Why is eel expensive? ›

Eels can be pricey due to overfishing and a reliance on wild, young eels for aquaculture. This scarcity is worse for some species, like the Japanese eel, a delicacy in Japan. The most expensive eels are tiny glass eels, fetching thousands per kilogram!

Is eel difficult to cook? ›

Preparing eel isn't difficult, but it can be unpleasant because of the slippery, slimy skin. Most seafood vendors will offer to remove the skin for you, but for this dish, you need it on (it's delicious to eat). To remove the slime, you just salt the eel thoroughly, then rinse it off.

What do eels taste like? ›

Eel is a meaty white fish that taste like lobster and chicken combined. Simply put, eel has a shellfish sweetness that you can compare with the flavor of crab or scallops.

What does eel taste like compared to fish? ›

It is often compared to the taste of fatty fish like salmon or trout but with a slightly more robust flavor. The flavor profile of eel has been described as having notes of umami, similar to that of mushrooms or soy sauce, giving it a savory and deeply satisfying taste.

Does eel meat taste good? ›

The flavor will vary, depending on the type of eel. Freshwater eel has a rich taste, while saltwater eel is mild and sweet.

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