Hamsi Tava

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Pat the anchovies very dry with paper towels so the coating sticks and the fish fries crisp rather than steams. Mix the cornmeal and salt on a wide plate. Cut the lemon into wedges.

2. 2

   Coat the anchovies lightly in the cornmeal mixture, shaking off any excess. A thin, even layer gives the best delicate crust and prevents the cornmeal from tasting raw.

3. 3

   Heat a large nonstick or well-seasoned frying pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil shimmers, arrange the anchovies in a tight circular layer or in a single even layer. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until the underside is deep golden and releases easily from the pan.

4. 4

   Flip carefully with a wide spatula, or invert the fish onto a plate and slide back into the pan if you arranged them in the traditional round. Fry the second side for 2 to 3 minutes more, until crisp at the edges and the flesh is just cooked through.

5. 5

   Transfer immediately to plates. Serve hot with lemon wedges for squeezing over just before eating.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •Ask your fishmonger to clean and butterfly the anchovies to keep this within 15 minutes.
• •If the fish are wet, the cornmeal coating will clump and soften; thorough drying is the key beginner technique here.
• •Traditionally, hamsi tava is excellent with a simple salad of onion, rocket, or seasonal greens.
• •Use a pan just large enough to hold the fish snugly; this makes flipping easier and helps create the classic unified round.

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