Fried Anchovies
Fried anchovies taste best after you’ve been in the sea all day, after you’ve clambered out, towel dried, and found a seat at one of the ubiquitous patio cafés on the Mediterranean. My signal memory is from a small seaside café called Taverna La Cialoma, in Marzamemi on the southern tip of Sicily. The café is run by a wonderful woman named Lina Campisi. I went there with Danny, Roberto, Alberto, and Joaquin, my four favorite people in the world. I still remember the strips of shadow from the reed ceiling, shielding us from the afternoon sun; the salt on our skin; the sea stretching out to forever; and that type of leisurely hunger that comes from a day at the beach.
As a chef, Campisi is a master of simplicity, and her anchovies are a perfect example of this. Like pommes frites from the sea, they are more an interplay of texture than of seasoning. Crisp on the outside, tender within, they arrive in a brown paper cone. The tiny anchovies were light, airy, and golden, set off with just a lemon squeeze. Every time I eat them, I’m immediately transported back to Sicily, and that’s the Proustian well to which we return when we put these on the menu at il Buco.
Serves 4
24 fresh anchovies, rinsed, gutted, and patted dry
3 pints cold sparkling water, divided
1 cup 00 flour
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for finishing
Canola oil, for frying
1 lemon, quartered
1. Submerge the anchovies in 2 pints sparkling water for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the remaining pint of sparkling water and the flour until a batter forms. Fold in the pepper, thyme, oregano, chili flakes, and 1 teaspoon salt.
3. In a dutch oven, heat 2 inches of canola oil to 350°F.
4. Remove the anchovies from the water, pat dry, and dip each into the batter. Shake off any excess.
5. Working in batches, carefully lay the anchovies in the oil, one by one, head first. Do not allow them to touch. Fry for 30 seconds, then flip for an additional 15 seconds or so, until the anchovies are enrobed in a light golden crust.
6. Remove from the dutch oven with a spider or slotted spoon and place on a paper towel–lined tray. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste and serve immediately with lemon wedges.