Tortiera Di Alici Italian Baked Anchovies Food

MARINATED FRESH ANCHOVIES (ALICI MARINATI)

Steps:

• Using scissors, trim the fins off of all the anchovies. Using a sharp paring knife, slit each fish along the belly from head to tail; remove the entrails and rinse well. Cut off the heads and carefully pull out the spine and pin bones from the top with your index finger and thumbnail. Separate the two fillets and rinse again. Arrange a layer of the fillets in a deep oval gratin dish and sprinkle with a tablespoon or two of vinegar. Continue until all the fish fillets are used, then pour the rest of the vinegar over the fish. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
• Remove the anchovies from the vinegar, rinse, and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Wash out the dish and dry well. Return a single layer of cured anchovies to the dish and sprinkle with 2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil, a pinch of oregano, a pinch of pepper flakes, a pinch of parsley, three or four garlic slices, and a pinch of salt. Layer in the rest of the anchovies, sprinkling each layer with oil, oregano, pepper flakes, parsley, garlic, and salt. Cover again and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
• To serve, bring anchovies to just below room temperature (in Italy they would be served at about 58°F). Remove from the oil and arrange six or seven on each plate with a lemon wedge if desired.

TORTIERA DI ALICI (ITALIAN BAKED ANCHOVIES)

Steps:

• Slice open the bottom of each anchovy and pull out the bone. Open each fillet as you would a book and arrange in the bottom of a shallow dish. Pour white vinegar on top. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Drain and discard the vinegar.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Brush a baking dish lightly with olive oil.
• Mix bread crumbs, capers, parsley, and garlic together in a bowl.
• Sprinkle some of the bread crumb mixture into the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange some anchovies in a single layer in the baking dish, still open like a book. Brush lightly with olive oil; cover with some of the bread crumb mixture. Repeat layers with remaining anchovies, olive oil, and bread crumb mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is crispy and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

TORTIERA DI ALICI (BAKED ANCHOVIES)

Steps:

• Clean the anchovies, remove the backbone without separating the 2 halves of the fish, wash and dry. In a bowl, mix the bread crumbs (reserve 1 1/2 T) with the grated Pecorino and the chopped capers, parsley, and garlic. Season with a little salt and a pinch of oregano and add 1/3 cup oil. Blend well. Oil a cake pan or baking dish generously and sprinkle with the reserved bread crumbs, line the bottom with a layer of anchovies (opened out flat), sprinkle with salt and a little of the bread crumb, cheese and herb mixture. Repeat the anchovy layer and continue until all the ingredients are used up. Top with the skinned, seeded and sliced tomatoes, sprinkle generously with oil, and bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for 30 minutes. This dish may be eaten warm or cold.