anchovy & potato pie
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Loading...Anchovy & potato pie is a classic recipe of Italian cooking: in Rome it is part of the Jewish culinary tradition that also offers it in a richer variant with endive. Anchovies are an extremely healthy and very cheap fish: they are part of the so-called "blue fish" that is caught in the Mediterranean Sea (but also in the Atlantic Ocean) which we make great use of. Finding very fresh anchovies, however, is not easy and cleaning them is a real hassle, which is why the version of the pie that I propose is really super basic and super simple. If you want you can add chopped parsley and thyme to be finely chopped and mix with the breadcrumbs. Capers look great on it… in short, add a pinch of imagination to your delicious pie
Ingredients
- Anchovies 700gr (fresh)
- Potatoes 600gr
- Cherry Tomatoes 20
- Breadcrumb 70gr
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
Ask your trusted fishmonger to clean the anchovies for you. If she wasn't kind enough to please you, have patience and a pair of rubber gloves. Take an anchovy, pass it under running water and remove the head. Cut the belly, gently open the fish in 2 and remove the intestine. Then arrange the anchovy fillet on a sheet of absorbent paper to rest. This operation may seem difficult and unpleasant but trust me: the final result will pay off
Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin slices, put the slices under water, wash them to remove excess starch and dip them in boiling salted water for a maximum of 5 minutes so that they are slightly cooked
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, if you have them small, or in slices if they are larger
Grease an ovenproof dish with a drizzle of oil, place a layer of potatoes on the bottom, add breadcrumbs and then cover with a layer of anchovies. Remember to always season the layers with a little oil, salt and pepper
Repeat the operation until all the ingredients are complete, making sure that the last layer is potatoes. Sprinkle with abundant breadcrumbs, decorate with tomatoes, press lightly with your hands to compact the pie, give a last turn of oil and put in the oven at 180g / 367F for about 25 minutes. Then pass under the grill for another 5 minutes
Achieving perfect cooking is important: anchovies and potatoes must be soft and juicy. Check that the pie is not moist inside by lifting (gently) a potato from the top layer with a fork. Then let it rest in the off oven for at least an hour so that the ingredients blend perfectly. The pie should be eaten at room temperature or just warm
Notes
Anchovy & potato pie is a truly delicious dish of italian cooking that we no longer eat: unfortunately it is increasingly difficult to find fresh anchovies because, despite their very low cost, they are considered a poor fish, difficult to clean and that yields little: this is why it is almost impossible find it on restaurant menus. In my family, the pie is prepared for Sunday summer lunches and is one of the great memories of my childhood: my father was delighted to prepare it because it was one of the few ways I ate fish. Today I prepare anchovy & potato pie for dinners with friends when I want a "wow"! Everyone is always very happy to taste it and its appetizing but delicate taste satisfies even those who do not like fish. For this reason I recommend, if you find them at the market, to buy some nice fresh anchovies (try asking the fishmonger to clean them for you ... sometimes they do!) And to try this recipe: you will be enchanted
ItalianCookingTips
Never forget to add oil, salt and pepper every single layer: anchovies and potatoes have little flavor and must be supported by the dressing
ItalianCookingTips
Anchovies are very versatile, perfect for a pasta dish (or on the “Neapolitan” pizza) or a second course like a pie. In Italy we eat them fresh or preserved in oil (the most common) or in salt (excellent, to be washed for a long time to remove excess salt before using them) but they are not suitable for this recipe
ItalianCookingTips
We call “blue fish” those species that have a slight blue color, such as sardines, herring or sardines (larger anchovies). They cost very little but have great nutritional value, low in fat and very rich in vitamins and omega 3
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