Gluten-Free Battered Sage Leaves

These battered sage leaves are pure Italian home cooking: simple, crunchy and very moreish.

The kind of thing you make with a few ingredients and find yourself eating straight from the plate and they’re lovely served as a starter or alongside an aperitivo.

My little Italian twist? I add freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano to the batter. It gives the sage a lovely savoury flavour and makes these little bites even more irresistible.

And if like me you are a fan of sage, try my sage-leaves-with-ham-cheese too! Another delicious Italian-inspired bite, perfect for an aperitivo or a savoury little treat. Two recipes, one wonderful herb, and plenty of reasons to make both.

Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

20–24 fresh sage leaves
100 g rice flour (¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon)
140–160 ml very cold water (½ cup plus 1–2 tablespoons)
20–30 g finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
A pinch of fine sea salt
Extra virgin olive oil or peanut oil, for frying

Why this batter works

Rice flour creates a delicate, crisp coating without wheat flour. Cold water keeps the batter simple, while Parmigiano Reggiano adds a delicious savoury note.

It’s an easy alternative to traditional wheat-flour batter, with no eggs or milk. The recipe is naturally gluten-free when prepared with suitable ingredients and care to avoid cross-contamination.

Method

Prepare the sage. Wash the leaves and dry them thoroughly.

Make the batter. Whisk the rice flour with 140 ml of very cold water. Stir in the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and a pinch of salt. Add a little more water if needed. The batter shouldn’t be too thick.

Heat the oil. Pour a shallow layer of extra virgin olive oil or peanut oil into a frying pan. You don’t need to fill the whole pan with oil. Heat to 170–175°C (340–350°F).

Dip and fry. Coat each sage leaf in batter and fry a few at a time. Don’t overcrowd the pan, as this lowers the oil temperature and prevents the leaves from becoming properly crisp. Fry for 1–2 minutes on both sides until golden.