Tortirio d’Alici e Patate

Name: Tortirio d’Alici e Patate (Anchovy and Potato Tart)
Yield: 1 tart for 4 people as an appetiser or lunch dish
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: salt and pepper; 500 g large fresh anchovies; 500 g potatoes (not new, regular ‘bakers’ are fine), peeled; 2 tsp chopped parsley; 200 g Crisp Breadcrumbs; ½ tsp oregano (dried is fine); 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced; 2 tbsp good olive oil

Anchovy and Potato Tart

Preparation info

1 tart for
4
people as an appetiser or lunch dish

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Alastair Little's Italian Kitchen

By Alastair Little

Published 1996

About

This is a dish we often serve to the guests as a nibble on arrival. It comes originally from Puglia (the heel of Italy) and can only be made with fresh anchovies, not tinned or jarred. Small fresh sardines or herrings make an acceptable substitute. Boning anchovies sounds micro-surgical, but is in fact simplicity itself.

Ingredients

500 g potatoes (not new, regular ‘bakers’ are fine), peeled
500 g large fresh anchovies
salt

Europe
Italy
Fish course
Lunch
Starter
Pescatarian
Mediterranean
Puglia

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. You will need a non-stick ovenproof frying pan 25 cm in diameter.

Slice the potatoes very thinly and keep in cold water until needed. Now for the anchovies. Rinse them lightly and then cut or pull off the heads and discard. With your thumb