Baked Breaded Anchovies

Baked breaded anchovies are a delicious and light dish, perfect for those who love the flavors of the sea. Here is the recipe to prepare excellent Italian-style baked breaded anchovies:

Ingredients

• 500 g of fresh anchovies
• 100 g of breadcrumbs
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Fresh parsley to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste (optional)
• Lemon (for serving)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Clean the anchovies by removing the head and guts, then butterfly the fish by removing the central bone. Rinse them under running water and pat them dry with kitchen paper.
3. Finely chop the garlic and parsley and mix them with the breadcrumbs in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to your taste and mix well.
4. Dredge each anchovy in the aromatic breadcrumbs, making sure to coat both sides.
5. Arrange the breaded anchovies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil.
6. Bake the anchovies for about 15 minutes or until they are golden and crispy.
7. Serve the baked breaded anchovies hot, sprinkled with a few drops of fresh lemon juice to taste.

Curiosity

Anchovies, also called anchovies when preserved under salt or in oil, are blue fish rich in Omega-3 and they lend themselves to multiple preparations: raw in marinade, fried, under salt or, as in this case, baked. The baked version is healthier compared to the fried one, but retains all the pleasure of a crunchy and tasty breading.