The baked gratin anchovies with egg-free coating are crunchy and light.
I use a homemade coating: healthy and simple, tasty and light based on whole grain breadcrumbs.
Don’t forget to account for the coating in the total carbohydrate count of your meal.
Anchovies or anchovies are similar to sardines and, with them, they belong to the bluefish category; they are recommended as they are low in calories, rich in nutrients, with a good content of omega 3 fatty acids.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven, Air Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
You can buy fresh anchovies asking to have them filleted or frozen already filleted.
- 11 oz anchovies (or filleted anchovies)
- to taste lemon juice
- to taste breadcrumbs (or whole grain breadcrumbs)
- 1 tbsp cheese (grated: Grana Padano or Parmesan)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns (with grinder)
- to taste chopped parsley
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil (raw)
Suggested Tools
- Baking Tray 10×11 inches
- Parchment Paper
Preparation
If you buy frozen filleted anchovies, transfer them to the fridge the night before cooking them.
If you buy fresh whole anchovies, you can ask the fishmonger to fillet them.
Or:
– clean the anchovy fillets by removing the head and guts;
– remove the backbone;
– rinse the anchovy fillets under running water and let them drain in a colander;
– pat the residual water with kitchen paper towels, they must be very dry.Take the anchovies out of the fridge at least half an hour before cooking them.
Transfer the anchovies to a bowl and drizzle with lemon juice.
In a dish, mix:
– breadcrumbs or whole grain breadcrumbs;
– grated cheese;
– salt;
– pepper;
– chopped parsley;
and mix.Line a baking tray – large, the coated anchovies should not overlap – with a sheet of parchment paper.
For each anchovy:
– take the fillet from the lemon juice and drain;
– open the fillet like a book;
– coat on both sides: pass them in the coating pressing to make it adhere well.Place the coated anchovies on the baking tray in a single layer, avoiding overlapping them.
Preheat the oven.
Bake in a fan oven at 350°F for 20 minutes until golden and the desired level of crunchiness.For a crispier, more golden coating: remove a couple of minutes earlier, spray or drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, and complete the cooking.
Plate.
Grind some more pepper, add chopped parsley, and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.Your baked gratin anchovies with egg-free coating are ready.
Enjoy your meal!
Storage, Tips and Variations
You can use gluten-free breadcrumbs for a gluten-free version.
You can omit the cheese.
You can flavor the coating with herbs and spices to taste.
For an even more fragrant coating, you can add grated lemon zest.
Cooked gratin anchovies can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for one day.
Warm them up for a few minutes in a hot oven to restore crispness.
FAQ
What is the difference between anchovies and anchovies?
Anchovies and anchovies are the same fish, however, the term anchovies is often associated with fish filleted and preserved in oil, while the term anchovies is associated with fish preserved in salt.
The difference is between anchovies or anchovies and sardines which belong to two different families.Industrial Coatings vs. Homemade Coatings
Industrial coatings contain potato starch, are pre-fried, rich in fats, salts, and calories.
To gratinate my anchovies, I used a homemade coating: simple, light, and healthy based on whole grain breadcrumbs and I made it adhere with lemon juice.
No oil in cooking, I add just a drizzle after baking.Can I cook coated anchovies in an air fryer?
Yes.
Follow the instructions – program, temperature, and times – indicated in your appliance’s user manual.
Check the cooking degree from time to time.
In general, with the air fryer, cooking times are reduced:
– in a fan oven at 350°F for 20 minutes;
– in an air fryer at 320°F for 16 minutes.
