Acciughe Ripiene Fritte delle Cinque Terre
Butterflied fresh anchovies sandwiched with a fragrant breadcrumb, marjoram and cheese filling, dusted in flour and fried until crisp.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 420 kcal
Equipment
- •Paring knife
- •Mixing bowl
- •Wide frying pan
- •Slotted spoon
- •Kitchen paper
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- fat
- 24 g
- carbs
- 22 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 28 g
- calories
- 420 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Gently open each cleaned anchovy flat and pull out the central backbone, keeping the tail fillet intact.
- 2
Rinse the butterflied fillets under cold running water and pat them dry thoroughly with kitchen paper.
- 3
Place the breadcrumbs in a small bowl with the milk for five minutes, then squeeze out the excess liquid.
- 4
Combine the squeezed breadcrumbs, beaten egg, grated cheese, minced garlic, marjoram, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- 5
Lay half of the anchovy fillets skin-side down on a clean board.
- 6
Place a rounded teaspoon of the stuffing mixture along the centre of each laid fillet.
- 7
Cover each portion with a remaining anchovy fillet, skin-side up, pressing the edges lightly to seal.
- 8
Dredge the stuffed fish pairs carefully in the plain flour and shake off any excess.
- 9
Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat until it reaches 175 degrees C.
- 10
Fry the stuffed anchovies in batches for two minutes on each side until crisp and golden brown.
- 11
Lift out the fried fish with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
- 12
Season lightly with sea salt and serve hot with fresh lemon wedges.
Chef's tips
Keep the cleaned anchovies well chilled until you are ready to stuff them so the delicate flesh stays firm. Avoid overfilling the fillets to prevent the stuffing from spilling into the frying oil. Fry in small batches so the oil temperature does not drop.
Ingredient substitutions
- fresh marjoram → fresh wild oregano or flat-leaf parsley in slightly smaller quantities
- Parmigiano Reggiano → Grana Padano or aged Pecorino Sardo
Storage
Fried stuffed anchovies are best enjoyed immediately, but cooled leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Reheating
Reheat in a hot oven at 180 degrees C for five minutes to restore crispness without drying out the fish.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overfilling the anchovies, which causes the edges to burst open while frying.
- •Frying in oil that is too cold, making the delicate fish greasy and soggy.
Serving suggestions
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