Frittata di alici – anchovy frittata

  • Antipasto
  • 4
  • 15 minutes
Not yet rated

Valeria's frittata di alici recipe, an anchovy frittata, is an Abruzzese classic. Valeria uses fresh anchovies to make this dish, but if you can't get your hands of them, use a mild marinated version instead, or even sardine fillets.

First published in 2018

This humble frittata is originally from Vasto, on the southern coast of Abruzzo, where anchovies – the key ingredient – abound.

Eggs and anchovies might seem like an odd combination, but they work surprisingly well together, especially when freshened up by a good dose of parsley and spiced up by chilli.

If you can’t source fresh anchovies, you can replace them with their marinated counterpart. Just know that the result will be bolder in flavour, and less meaty.

This frittata is particularly good when eaten in a sandwich. It also makes a good appetiser, and is a great addition to any picnic basket.

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Frittata di alici

  • 8 eggs
  • 80g of Pecorino Romano, grated
  • 2 tbsp of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
  • fine sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 500g of fresh anchovies, cleaned, rinsed and patted dry
  • 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

Method

1
In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the grated pecorino, parsley, chilli, salt and pepper. Add the anchovies and stir to incorporate
2
In a large skillet, heat the oil over a medium-low flame. Once hot, add the egg mixture. Cook the frittata for 5 minutes, or until set enough to be able to flip it (I use a plate or a large lid to do so). Then, cook it for 5 more minutes on the other side.
3
Once done, remove it from the heat and transfer it to a plate

Discover more about this region's cuisine:

Valeria Necchio is an Italian food writer and photographer with roots in the Venetian countryside.

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