Moroccan · Main course
Tangier Baked Anchovies in Charmoula
A homely Tangier dish of fresh anchovies layered with charmoula, tomato and thinly sliced potato and baked until the fish is tender and the top lightly crisps. It stretches a cheap, plentiful catch into a full baked supper, the herb-and-garlic marinade perfuming everything as it cooks in the northern kitchens along the strait.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 800 g fresh anchovies, cleaned and butterflied
- 3 potatoes, thinly sliced
- 3 tomatoes, sliced
- 1 large bunch coriander and parsley, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne
- Juice of 1 lemon and 6 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Method
- 1
Make the charmoula
Mix the herbs, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, lemon and olive oil into a marinade and toss the anchovies in some of it.
- 2
Par-cook potatoes
Parboil the potato slices for 5 minutes so they finish cooking in the bake.
- 3
Layer
In an oiled dish, layer potato, then tomato, then the marinated anchovies, seasoning and spooning charmoula between the layers.
- 4
Bake
Cover with foil and bake at 190°C for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake 15 minutes more until the top is lightly crisp.
- 5
Serve
Serve hot from the dish with lemon and bread.
Chef's tips
- Par-cook the potatoes first; raw slices won't cook through in the short time the fish needs.
- Butterflied anchovies cook fast, so layer them so they steam gently rather than dry out.
- Spoon charmoula between every layer so the whole bake is fragrant, not just the top.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use sardines instead of anchovies?
Yes; butterflied sardines work beautifully in the same bake and are a little meatier, needing a couple of extra minutes.
Do I need to bone the anchovies?
Butterflying removes the backbone; the small pin bones soften in baking and are traditionally eaten, but you can lift out the spine for a neater dish.