Acciughe Ripiene alla Ligure
Ligurian stuffed anchovies filled with soft breadcrumbs, fragrant fresh marjoram, garlic, and grated cheese, pan-fried until crisp and golden.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 380 kcal
Equipment
- •Wide frying pan
- •Mixing bowl
- •Fish tweezers or small paring knife
- •Slotted spatula
- •Absorbent kitchen paper
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- fat
- 24 g
- carbs
- 16 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 26 g
- calories
- 380 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk inside a mixing bowl for five minutes until completely softened.
- 2
Squeeze the soaked breadcrumbs firmly to remove excess liquid, then return them to the bowl.
- 3
Add the chopped marjoram, grated cheese, minced garlic, beaten egg, salt, and black pepper.
- 4
Mix the filling thoroughly with a fork until it forms a cohesive, pliable paste.
- 5
Lay half of the butterflied anchovies skin-side down on a clean board.
- 6
Spoon a generous teaspoon of filling along the centre of each laid-out fillet.
- 7
Top each with a second butterflied anchovy, skin-side facing up, pressing the edges lightly to seal.
- 8
Dredge each stuffed fish sandwich lightly in flour, shaking off any loose excess.
- 9
Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat until shimmering.
- 10
Fry the anchovies in batches for two minutes per side until crisp and golden brown.
- 11
Transfer the fried fish to absorbent paper, season lightly with sea salt, and serve immediately.
Chef's tips
Handle fresh anchovies gently to avoid tearing the delicate fillets while removing the backbone. If fresh marjoram is unavailable, keep in mind that dried marjoram has a much stronger flavour, so halve the quantity. Maintain a steady medium heat while frying so the fish cooks through before the crust darkens.
Ingredient substitutions
- fresh anchovies → fresh small sardines, butterflied with spines removed
- fresh marjoram → dried marjoram, halved in quantity
- whole milk → water or unsweetened plant milk to soak the bread
Storage
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one day.
Reheating
Reheat on a baking tray in an oven preheated to 170C for six to eight minutes until warm and crisp.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overfilling the anchovies, causing the stuffing to spill into the oil during frying.
- •Using dried oregano instead of marjoram, which alters the characteristic sweet herbal aroma.
- •Frying in oil that is too cold, which makes the delicate fish greasy and soggy.
Serving suggestions
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