1 kg of Baltic herring (or smelt)
2-3 eggs
100-150 g of wheat flour
3 tsp of salt
2 tsp of white pepper
Butter or olive oil
Dill
A couple of slices of lemon
Descale the fish and remove the heads. The easiest way to do this is using scissors, starting from the tail and removing the head all in one movement, then using one arm of the scissors to extract the entrails. Rinse the fish in ice-cold water and drain. Mix with the salt and place on a strainer to drain further. The tails can be left on the fish, since that will make them easier to coat and a crispy tail makes for a delicious treat in its own right.
Place the flour in a clean plastic bag, add the fish, close the bag and shake until the fish are coated. Bear in mind that you will need less flour and egg for larger fish and more for smaller fish. You will know you have enough flour if the fish appear fully coated in it and no longer stick together. Add flour and shake again if required.
Beat the egg in a bowl. Pull the fish one at a time from the bag by their tails, dip in the egg and place in a hot pan. Fry them in the butter or oil until golden and crispy on both sides. Season with the black pepper and, if needed, a little more salt.
Serve with the lemon and dill along with fresh potatoes.
