Alici Ammollicate
Fresh anchovies layered with seasoned breadcrumbs, pecorino, and herbs, baked until crisp and golden.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Total
- 38 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 310 kcal
Equipment
- •Ceramic baking dish
- •Mixing bowl
- •Fine grater
- •Kitchen scissors
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- fat
- 14 g
- carbs
- 18 g
- fibre
- 1.5 g
- protein
- 26 g
- calories
- 310 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan).
- 2
Lightly coat the base of a ceramic baking dish with one tablespoon of olive oil.
- 3
Combine breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, pecorino, oregano, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl.
- 4
Drizzle two tablespoons of olive oil into the breadcrumb mixture.
- 5
Rub the breadcrumb mixture with your fingertips until it resembles moist, fragrant sand.
- 6
Arrange half of the butterflied anchovies skin-side down in a single layer across the baking dish.
- 7
Scatter half of the seasoned breadcrumb mixture evenly over the fish layer.
- 8
Arrange the remaining anchovies in a second neat layer on top.
- 9
Cover the fish completely with the remaining seasoned breadcrumbs.
- 10
Drizzle the final tablespoon of olive oil evenly across the top layer.
- 11
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the fish is tender and the crust is golden brown and crisp.
Chef's tips
Use coarse breadcrumbs from stale rustic loaf rather than fine commercial dried crumbs for the best crunchy texture. Anchovies cook very fast, so monitor the oven closely to prevent the fish from drying out. If you clean the anchovies yourself, gentle pressure along the spine removes the backbone cleanly.
Ingredient substitutions
- Pecorino Siciliano → aged Caciocavallo or Pecorino Romano
- fresh anchovies → fresh small sardines (sarde), scaled and butterflied
Storage
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat in an oven preheated to 170°C for 5 to 7 minutes to restore crispness.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using fine store-bought breadcrumbs, which turn paste-like instead of light and crunchy.
- •Overbaking the fish until the delicate flesh becomes dry and tough.
- •Skipping the initial oil coating on the breadcrumbs, leaving pale, powdery patches after baking.
Serving suggestions
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