Trim leaves from the beets, leaving about 1 inch of stem, wash the beets well. Bring a pot of cold water to the boil; add salt to taste and then the whole beets. Boil for about 1 hour. T he beets should be tender but still firm. Drain the beets and cool under running cold water. Peel the beets, removing the stems. Set aside.

Batter: Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the oil. Mix with a wooden spoon, incorporating some of the flour. Add the water a little at a time, until the flour is absorbed. Season with nutmeg. Let batter rest for 1 hour.

Cut the beets into 1/4 inch thick slices. Sprinkle the slices generously with black pepper. Heat the oil in a deep fryer or saucepan.

Beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold into the batter. Dip the beet slices in the batter, one by one, and deep fry for 30 seconds on each side. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle the cooked beets with salt and serve hot with lemon wedges.