To preserve the integrity of anchovies, it’s recommended to fry them below 180°C/350°F.
Origin
Anchovies are small bony fish from the family Engraulidae. They are extremely common in the Mediterranean and Black Seas and the eastern Atlantic. They’re an oily fish with a similar shape, size and color — a blue stripe down their spine with silver scales on their sides — with other fish in this category. As with other oily fish, this one is rich in essential amino acids, omega 3, protein, calcium and iron. Even though their lifespan is short — about 5 years — they’re able reproduce in large numbers to respond to intensive fishing in the ocean and sea.
Cook It
Anchovies are extremely delicate: when they are fresh, their flesh is firm and compact and their eyes are clear. They have very few scales which can be removed by simply rubbing their skin with your fingers. Fresh anchovies need very little cooking otherwise their flesh tends to flake.
Did You Know That?
There is a rare type of anchovy from Monterosso in Cinque Terre, and it attracts tourists to Liguria because of its delicate, highly prized meat. Fisherman say that they get the best hauls during the festival of Saint Peter.
