Çaça Tava (Rize-Style Sprat Cake) | Whole Sprats Pan-Fried in One Piece

Rinse the fish 2 times in cold water in a wide bowl and pick out any seaweed or shell fragments. Sprats are so small that you do not remove the heads or innards; discard only fish that are crushed or have split bellies. Leave them in a strainer for 5 minutes to drain completely.

Sprinkle the cornmeal over the fish in three additions, mixing each time. Each fish should look separately coated, with no loose flour left in the bowl. The ratio is right when the fish lightly stick together in your hand.

Heat the oil in a 26 cm skillet over medium heat. Press the fish down with a spoon and spread them into one even layer shaped like a disk. Fry uncovered for 8 minutes. The bottom is ready when the edges turn golden and the cake slides together when you shake the pan.

Place a flat plate larger than the pan over it and flip the pan and plate in one motion. Slide the cake from the plate back into the pan. Fry the second side for 6 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve hot with onion, parsley, and lemon.