Baked or fried, they are part of the Ligurian tradition and are a second dish that will win you over
Stuffed anchovies they are a dish of the Ligurian peasant tradition, prepared in order to use the leftovers of vegetables and dry bread. It was then used to chop what was left over, add it to the chopped and soaked bread and recompose everything in a savory and tasty filling that was then used to stuff the anchovies, a little considered fish, but rich in proteins and omega 3, allied fatty acids of the health, especially that of heart and arteries.
The benefits associated with the consumption of anchovies
This fish, which is part of the blue fish category, has very high nutritional qualities: in fact it contains good quantities of riboflavin, a vitamin of the group B which participates in numerous metabolic reactions, oxidation of fatty acids and amino acids and cellular respiration. In addition, anchovies are a good source of several minerals, including football (important for healthy bones and teeth), iron (for the production of red blood cells), phosphorus (ally of kidneys and heart) and selenium (which helps the immune system). The only negative aspect of this fish is the fact that it also contributes cholesterol: attention therefore for those who already have high values of this fat.
How anchovies are cleaned
For the recipe for stuffed anchovies, it is essential to obtain the fresh fish. What are the characteristics that a fish like this must have? A lively and protruding eye, the shiny scales, metallic, and the firm, elastic body, with a slight red halo near the head. To clean them, open them for the length on the belly, remove the central spine and the head and keep the tail instead. Open them well, wash and dry them on a paper towel. Your anchovies are now ready to be stuffed.
The recipe for stuffed anchovies
Ingredients
First get yourself 600 g of anchovies, 200 g of fresh chard, a sprig of chopped parsley, 30 g of stale breadcrumbs, 20 g of grated Parmesan cheese, two eggs, milk, two cloves of garlic, milk, pine nuts, salt and pepper.
Method
Clean the anchovies as indicated above, soak the breadcrumbs in a little milk, wash the chard leaves and cook them in a pan with only the water that remains adherent to them after washing. As soon as they are cooked, drain them, squeeze them well, mince them and put them in a bowl with the parmesan, the minced garlic and parsley, the breadcrumbs well squeezed by milk, the beaten eggs, two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and distribute this mixture on the anchovies. Complete with two pine nuts and then place a second anchovy on top of the filling. If you want, finish with a thin slice of lemon on top of the fish. Oil an oven pan, arrange the anchovies next to each other and bake in a preheated oven (200 °) for 10-15 minutes. The filling must still be soft. Serve them warm.
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