Carpe frite

What makes it carpe frite

• Carp from the ponds, cut in thin slices across the bone.
• Coated in fine semolina, not batter.
• Deep-fried until crisp, with mayonnaise and lemon.

Where it comes from

The Sundgau, in the south of Alsace, is dotted with fish ponds that go back centuries, often tied to monasteries and their fish for fast days. Carp is what they raise, and frying is how the Sundgau likes it.

Slicing the fish thin across the backbone makes the small bones crisp enough to eat, which is the whole trick. It's a Friday dish, and village restaurants along the route de la carpe frite serve it all year.