The ANCHOVY MEATBALLS are a delightful traditional Sicilian dish in which the combination of oily fish, pine nuts and raisins creates a real explosion of flavors. They make an excellent main course or, given the richness of the ingredients, a satisfying one-dish meal.
The ingredients, once typical of the island’s humble cuisine, are perfectly blended and recall the great culinary history of Trinacria: fishermen, Arab merchants, peasants and Norman conquerors… the ancient melting pot that produced wonders for our palate.
These meatballs are also easy to prepare and nutritionally well balanced. Anchovies, delicate yet flavorful, are a fish rich in omega-3s and valuable vitamins.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 lb anchovies
- Half onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 eggs (medium)
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 3 tbsp raisins
- 1.5 oz pine nuts
- 2 leaves mint
- parsley
- 14 oz peeled tomatoes
- as needed extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- lemon zest
Tools
- 1 Pan
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Food processor
Steps
To prepare the anchovy meatballs with raisins and pine nuts, start by cleaning the fish. After cleaning, rinse and pat dry, then finely chop the anchovies with a knife. Sauté them for 3-4 minutes in a saucepan with olive oil, the chopped onion, the garlic and the soaked raisins, until the mixture has dried out.
Remove the garlic and let the mixture cool.
Separately, toast the pine nuts in a pan for about one minute, taking care not to burn them.
In a bowl place the anchovy mixture, the eggs, the bread crumbs coarsely ground in the food processor, the pine nuts, the Parmesan, the chopped parsley and mint, the grated lemon zest, salt and pepper.Mix all the ingredients until you obtain a fairly firm mixture.
If the mixture is too soft, add more breadcrumbs.
From this mixture form medium-sized meatballs.Brown the anchovy, raisin and pine nut meatballs in a large pan with some oil and, when they are sealed on all sides, add the tomato sauce or the peeled tomatoes. Adjust the salt and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
Turn off the heat, add more chopped mint, plate and enjoy these wonderful anchovy meatballs.
