Fried stuffed anchovies

To prepare the fried stuffed anchovies, start with the filling. Slice the bread 1, then break it into coarse pieces and transfer it to the bowl of a food processor 2. Add the parsley, previously washed and dried, and the fennel fronds 3.

Continue with the herbs: a bay leaf 4, the basil, the mint, then add the raisins, previously soaked and squeezed dry 5. Also add the pine nuts, the salt and the sugar 6.

Pour in the extra virgin olive oil 7, add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano 8, then the shallot, peeled and cut into large pieces 9.

Grate the orange zest, being careful not to take the white pith 10, then add a little of its juice as well 11. Blend everything until you obtain a homogeneous and fairly fine mixture 12. The filling should be soft and moist, but not runny. If necessary, adjust the consistency: if the mixture is too dry, add a very small amount of orange juice or oil; if it is too soft, incorporate a little more bread.

Now prepare the fennel-frond sauce. Place the fennel fronds in the bowl of a blender and pour in the extra virgin olive oil 13. Add a pinch of salt and blend with an immersion blender 14 until you obtain a smooth sauce with a beautiful green color 15. Transfer it to a kitchen squeeze bottle or into a piping bag without a tip and set aside.

Move on to cleaning the anchovies. Remove the head and entrails, then gently open them like a book and remove the central bone 16, trying to keep the two fillets attached. Lay a sheet of parchment paper on the work surface and place 5 anchovies side by side, with the flesh side facing up 17. Spread a portion of the filling over the anchovies 18.

Form a thin and even layer and compact it gently with your fingers 19. Cover the filling with another 5 anchovies, placing them skin-side up 20. Spread a second layer of filling and complete with another 5 anchovies, thus obtaining three layers of fish alternated with two layers of filling. Fold a corner of the parchment paper over the anchovies 21.

Gently wrap everything, forming a compact parcel 22. Transfer to the refrigerator for about 30 minutes so that the filling firms up and the preparation keeps its shape during frying. After the resting time, prepare three containers with the flour, the beaten eggs and the breadcrumbs. Carefully remove the anchovies from the parchment and coat them in flour on all sides 23. Then transfer them into the beaten eggs 34.

Finally pass them through the breadcrumbs 25, pressing them on well over the entire surface and taking care not to break the preparation. Heat plenty of vegetable oil in a large pot until it reaches 356b0F. Gently immerse the breaded anchovies in the hot oil using a skimmer 26, and fry them until they are golden and crispy all over 27.

Drain them and transfer them to paper towels to remove excess oil. Finish with a few flakes of salt 28. Arrange the fried stuffed anchovies in the center of the serving plate and take the fennel-frond sauce. Using a piping bag, distribute it over the surface 29, creating decorative stripes. Your fried stuffed anchovies with fennel sauce are ready to be served 30!