Sardoni Impanai
Butterflied fresh anchovies coated in seasoned garlic and parsley breadcrumbs, then fried golden and crisp. Known as sardoni impanai in Trieste dialect.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 420 kcal
Equipment
- •Wide heavy frying pan
- •Slotted spoon or spider
- •Three shallow bowls
- •Paper towels
- •Kitchen scissors
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- fat
- 22 g
- carbs
- 26 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 28 g
- calories
- 420 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the butterflied anchovies gently under cold running water and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels.
- 2
Combine the fine breadcrumbs, minced garlic, chopped parsley, half the salt, and black pepper in a shallow bowl.
- 3
Place the flour in a second shallow bowl and the beaten eggs in a third bowl.
- 4
Dredge each butterflied anchovy lightly in the flour, tapping off any excess.
- 5
Dip the floured fish into the beaten egg until evenly coated.
- 6
Press the fish firmly into the seasoned breadcrumbs to form an even crust on both sides.
- 7
Heat the frying oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat until it reaches 175°C.
- 8
Fry the anchovies in single-layer batches for about two minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp.
- 9
Lift the fried fish out with a slotted spoon onto paper towels to drain briefly.
- 10
Season immediately with the remaining sea salt and serve warm with fresh lemon wedges.
Chef's tips
Leave the tail fins attached to the butterflied fish to act as handy grips while breading. Fry in small batches so the oil temperature does not drop and make the crust greasy.
Ingredient substitutions
- fresh anchovies (sardoni) → fresh small sardines, scaled, gutted, and butterflied
- plain flour and breadcrumbs → gluten-free plain flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs
Storage
Keep any cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one day.
Reheating
Reheat on a wire rack over a baking tray in an oven preheated to 200°C for five minutes until crisp again.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Leaving the fish damp, which causes the breadcrumbs to turn pasty and flake off in the pan.
- •Overcrowding the frying pan, which steams the fish instead of crisping the coating.
- •Discarding the tails, which help hold the delicate butterflied fillets together during cooking.
Serving suggestions
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