Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 4 cups olive oil
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, separated
• 8 ears corn
• 1 garlic clove
• Special equipment: a deep-fat thermometer

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Instructions

1. Combine water and 1/4 cup oil in a small bowl. Whisk together flour and salt in a large bowl, then add liquid in a slow stream, whisking until combined well. Whisk in yolk until smooth.
2. Beat egg white in another small bowl with cleaned whisk or an electric mixer until soft peaks form, then fold into batter. Let batter stand at room temperature 1 hour.
3. Cut corn kernels from cobs using a large knife without cutting very deeply into cobs, then, working in a shallow dish, scrape cobs with back of knife to release remaining kernels and liquid. Gently stir kernels with liquid into batter.
4. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 200°F.
5. Heat remaining 3 3/4 cups oil with garlic in a 12-inch heavy skillet (about 1 inch deep) over moderately high heat until thermometer registers 375°F. Remove garlic when golden.
6. Fry heaping tablespoons of batter in batches of 6 or 7 in hot oil, without turning, until fritters are deep golden, about 4 minutes. Return oil to 375°F and skim out any bits of batter between batches. Transfer fritters to paper towels with tongs to drain, then transfer to a shallow baking pan and keep warm in oven. Season with salt before serving.