Would You Pay for ‘Fried Air’? Well, Go to This Italian Restaurant

An Italian restaurant has a creative way to keep calorie counters snacking too - by serving diners fried air.

An Italian restaurant has come up with a creative way to keep calorie counters snacking too - by serving diners fried air.

(Photo: AP Screengrab)

Video Editor: Vishal Kumar

An Italian restaurant has come up with a creative way to keep calorie counters snacking too – by serving diners fried air.

Known as 'Aria Fritta' in Italian, the eye-catching dish served by Feva Restaurant in Castelfranco Veneto, northern Italy, is designed to capture the essence of being outdoors and of inhaling fresh air.

The crispy treats – which are also meant to represent the English expression 'full of hot air' – are actually made of tapioca skin which is first boiled to make a batter, before being baked and deep fried.

After being thoroughly dried to remove the oil, the light batter shapes are then infused with low levels of the gas ozone for 10 minutes.

The chefs say the process not only give the treats a special aroma but lends them a touch of the high altitude, snow and pure air northern Italy is famous for.

Cooks then season the dish with blue salt to represent the sky before the crispy fried air is placed on a bed of cotton candy and served with a vegan sesame seed mayo and chia seeds.

At the table, in front of the guests, quince vinegar is sprayed over the top of the fried air to trigger a reaction between the vinegar and the spun sugar, creating a 'frying' effect.

(With inputs from AP)