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Loading...A beloved Black Sea specialty, these tiny anchovies are cleaned, coated in seasoned cornmeal, and pan-fried until shatteringly crisp. They are traditionally served as a meze or light main with lemon wedges and a fresh tomato salad on the side.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time18 mins
Total Time38 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 385 kcalCalories
- 22 gFat
- 4 gSaturated Fat
- 18 gCarbs
- 2 gFiber
- 0 gSugar
- 28 gProtein
- 720 mgSodium
- 650 mgPotassium
- 180 mgCalcium
- 4 mgIron
- 8 mgVitamin C
- 90 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the fish
- 1 kg fresh anchovies (hamsi), heads removed and gutted
- 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup sunflower or light olive oil, for frying
- 2 lemons, cut into wedges, for serving
Directions
- Rinse the cleaned anchovies under cold running water and pat them thoroughly dry between layers of paper towels; any remaining moisture will cause the oil to splatter and the coating to steam.
- In a wide shallow bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, salt, and black pepper until evenly blended.
- Working in handfuls, toss the anchovies in the cornmeal mixture, pressing gently so the coating adheres evenly to each fish. Shake off any loose excess.
- Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until a pinch of cornmeal sizzles on contact (about 175°C / 350°F).
- Arrange the anchovies in a single layer in the hot oil without crowding; fry for about 2 minutes per side until deep golden and crisp, turning once carefully with a slotted spatula.
- Transfer the fried anchovies to a paper towel-lined tray to drain, and repeat with the remaining batches, keeping finished fish warm in a low oven.
- Serve immediately while hot and crispy, arranged on a warm platter with lemon wedges for squeezing over the top.
Cook’s Notes
- Freshness is everything here: buy anchovies the same day you cook them and look for clear eyes and a clean sea-breeze smell.
- For an even more traditional crust, use only cornmeal and skip the flour; the texture will be slightly coarser and more rustic.
- Do not overcrowd the pan or the fish will steam instead of crisping up and turn soggy.
- Pair with a simple shepherd's salad of chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and parsley dressed with olive oil and sumac.
- Leftover fried anchovies are excellent tucked into a toasted Turkish bread sandwich with arugula the next morning.
