Breaded fried anchovies, super crispy
Sometimes you can’t always be on a diet — let’s allow ourselves an occasional treat! I decided to enjoy a nice plate of breaded and fried anchovies; I adore them! I don’t think I’m the only fan of this dish: almost everyone likes it, even those who aren’t particularly fond of fish, and since it’s oily fish it’s good for you… so it kind of balances being fried!
Follow my recipe and the anchovies will have a crunchy crust while the flesh inside will remain soft and flavorful. Besides, they are a very inexpensive fish with great yield, which is welcome these days. In the recipe notes you’ll find my grandmother’s classic tip for achieving a perfectly crisp fry.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4 SERVINGS
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1.8 lb Anchovies (fresh) (weight of the fish before cleaning)
- 3/4 + 2 tbsp cup(s) All-purpose flour
- cup(s) Breadcrumbs
- 1 Egg
- to taste Salt
- 2 1/8 cup(s) Peanut oil
Preparation
First, clean the anchovies: detach the head from the body with your fingers, gently pulling at the gill area — the entrails will come away with the head and must be completely removed. Starting from where you removed the head, gently open the anchovy like a book by sliding your thumb toward the tail, then remove the central bone by lifting it gently toward the tail (do not remove the tail).
Once all the fish are cleaned, rinse them under cold water and then dry them with a cloth or paper towels.Prepare three shallow plates: put the flour in the first, the egg beaten with a pinch of salt in the second, and the breadcrumbs in the third. Take the anchovy fillets and first dredge them in the flour, then in the beaten egg, and finally in the breadcrumbs.
Once all the anchovies are breaded they are ready for frying. Take a large skillet and add plenty of peanut oil. Wait until the oil sizzles — to check if it’s at the right temperature for frying, drop a little bit of breadcrumbs into the oil. If the oil is hot the crumbs will immediately float and start to fry.
Fry the anchovies in small batches so they don’t overlap, cooking them first on one side and then on the other, turning them with a slotted spoon, until they are nicely golden (2, maximum 3 minutes). As they finish frying, transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve immediately — they should be eaten hot!
Notes
BREADED FRIED ANCHOVIES: TIPS
When cleaning, be careful not to split the anchovy in two when removing the bone — it should remain whole and open like a fillet.
For frying, prefer peanut oil: it costs a bit more but performs best at high temperatures. If I’m not frying large quantities, instead of a skillet I use a narrow, tall pot and fill the oil up to two-thirds of its height. This way the food will float completely even without using liters of oil. Strange as it may seem, the higher the oil level in the pan or pot, the more the food will float and the less oil it will absorb. Try it and you’ll see!
If you want to serve fried anchovies at an aperitif or as finger food, present them in little “cones” made from bread paper as if they were a paper cone.
