Raganella with anchovies

The Riviera dei Cedri is a wonderful stretch of Tyrrhenian coastline in our beloved Calabria, with over sixty kilometres of beautiful beaches, breathtaking sea beds and wild coastlines full of scents that border on mountains. Diamante, Cirella, Praia a Mare and San Nicola Arcella are just some of the beautiful seaside towns that make up the Riviera, which is characterised by being surrounded by beautiful cedar trees, the fruit of which is used in the preparation of delicious dishes, but also to obtain great perfumes or delicious liqueurs.

One of the many recipes from the Riviera is raganella di alici, a typical Calabrian dish in which oregano, parsley and garlic are combined with the tasty local anchovies to create a riot of flavours and aromas. Let's find out how to prepare it step by step.

Ingredients of Raganella di alici

  • 500g of fresh anchovies
  • 300g of breadcrumbs (of Cuti bread would be ideal)
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Parsley to taste
  • Oregano to taste
  • Fresh chilli pepper to taste
  • Salt to taste

How to make the Raganella di alici

Clean the anchovies by removing the head and the central bone, then wash them carefully with cold water and gently dab them with absorbent paper.

Use a blender to reduce the breadcrumbs, then in the same blender place the garlic, 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, the chilli pepper, oregano and a few leaves of parsley. A couple of strokes should be enough to chop up the rest of the ingredients and mix them together.

Place the garlic and oil in a frying pan, just enough to brown the garlic. Place half of the seasoned breadcrumbs on the bottom of the pan, so that they fill the surface of the pan evenly.

Place the anchovies on top of the breadcrumbs and cover them with the remaining breadcrumbs. Cook the anchovies in the pan over a medium heat for at least five minutes per side (we can turn the anchovies using a plate, as if they were an omelette). Serve the anchovies piping hot.