Have you ever tried crispy fried anchovies without using eggs and all-purpose flour? I guarantee that once you taste them, you won’t be able to stop, they’re like cherries, one leads to another! I used pre-cleaned anchovies. If you need to clean them, remove the head and guts, rinse them under running water to remove any residue, open them like a book being careful not to split them, and gently remove the central spine.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 5.3 oz anchovies (fresh, pre-cleaned, about 30 anchovies)
- 5 tbsps corn flour
- to taste fine salt
- to taste vegetable oil (for frying)
Preparation
I purchased fresh, pre-cleaned anchovies. If you need to clean them, remove the head and guts, rinse them under running water to remove any residue, open them like a book being careful not to split them, and gently remove the central spine.
On a plate, place the corn flour (used for making polenta), coat each anchovy fillet on both sides. Press gently to help the coating adhere. Do not salt the anchovies now, they would become soft and not crispy.
Put plenty of vegetable oil for frying in a pan not too large (mine had a diameter of 8 inches), heat it well, immerse the anchovies and cook them for about a minute, turning them at least once. They will be cooked when they are slightly golden.
Place them on a plate covered with kitchen paper or absorbent paper for frying, salt them, and enjoy hot.
Tips/Advice
I used pre-cleaned anchovies. If you need to clean them, remove the head and guts, rinse them under running water to remove any residue, open them like a book being careful not to split them, and gently remove the central spine.
You can also use cleaned sardines instead of anchovies.
Salt the anchovies only after frying, they will remain crispier.
If you liked the crispy fried anchovies, try other fish main course recipes:
