Tortillitas de Camarones are fried, shrimp fritters that you can find in most bars and restaurants in the province. They vary enormously; the best in my opinion are light crisp and lace-like in texture. Some can be thick and rubbery and sadly lacking camarones (shrimps). You can be sure that whenever you eat them, someone in the party will pipe up and claim that their mother’s tortillitas are better.
In the fish market (mercado de abastos) next to our apartment a fisherman from San Fernando sells the “camarones” or more likely “quisquillas” from a wheel barrow at the front entrance. The two crustaceans are often thought to be the same but they are different species. Camarones tend to be larger, sometimes as big as 10cm, with a brownish colour. They are generally more expensive and some argue they have a finer flavour. Quisquillas on the other hand are always smaller, less than 1cm and are blue-grey when uncooked. Whichever – they are fresh from the Bahia de Cadiz – live and jumping.
We make a batter from a mix of gram flour (harina de garbanzos) and plain flour and water. We then add the shrimps, parsley and spring onions. We shallow fry them in olive oil. they are served with a sprinkle of sea salt flakes. Gorgeous and better than your mother’s!
A guide to the best tortillitas in the province can be found here
