Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   2      cups          virgin olive oil
  20      small         smelts - -- (whole), scaled,
                        -- gutted
   1      cup           flour -- to dust fish
                        salt -- to taste
                        freshly-ground black pepper -- to taste
                        lemons wedges

Preparation:

Preheat oil to 370 degrees. Rinse smelts and pat dry. Dredge fish in flour and season with salt and pepper. Cut a slit in the tail of one fish, pinch together the tails of 3 other fish, and stuff them through the slit to form a fan shape. Hold together with light pressure and place fish in hot oil. Cook carefully until light golden brown, about 2 to 4 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with lemon wedges. Source: MEDITERRANEAN MARIO with Mario Batali From the TV FOOD NETWORK - (Show # ME-1B03)