Pescaíto frito – fried fresh anchovies with pipirrana salad
Andalusian pescaíto frito at home: fresh anchovies tossed in flour and fried crisp in very hot olive oil, with lemon and a fresh pipirrana salad of tomato, green pepper and onion. On the coast it is also made as a mixed fry with baby squid or marinated dogfish.
- 36 minTime
- 36 minHands-on
- 4Portions
- ≈ €1.85per portion
- 490kcal per portion
Ingredients for 4 portions
- to tasteSalt
- 800 gFresh anchovy, cleaned, heads removed
- 100 gPlain flour, or Spanish frying flour
- 4 tbspOlive oil, for frying
- 1Lemon, in wedges
On the side
- 4Tomatoes, diced
- 1Italian green pepper, diced
- ½Yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 tbspOlive oil, for the salad
- 1 tbspVinegar, ideally sherry vinegar
Method
- Make the pipirrana: cut the tomatoes and pepper into small dice and finely chop the onion. Mix in a bowl with the oil, vinegar and salt, and chill.
- Quickly rinse the anchovies in cold water, drain in a colander and pat dry with kitchen paper. Season with salt.
- Heat plenty of olive oil, about 3 cm deep, in a deep frying pan or saucepan until very hot, about 180 °C.
- Toss the anchovies in the flour in batches and shake off the excess in a sieve. Fry for 1–2 minutes, until golden and crisp, and drain on kitchen paper.
- Serve straight away with lemon wedges and the pipirrana.
The cost is estimated from average prices in Spain (MAPA – Panel de Consumo Alimentario en Hogares (Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación), 2026-07).
