Acciughe al Finocchio

Fresh anchovies are such a special treat, of course I can find them pretty often here in Puglia

Ingredients

• 12-16 fresh anchovies

• 2 cloves of garlic

• 1 tbsp of fennel seeds

• a splash of dry white wine

• 4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Clean the anchovies, remove the head and the guts, remove the spine by holding the tail and removing from the tail end, the tail keeps the body intact. Rinse them well and open them up like a book. Dry them off with paper towels.

2. Peel the garlic cloves, mince them and put them in a pan with the oil over medium heat. Leave them for a few minutes and before they start to color, add the anchovies without overlapping them. Sprinkle the fennel seeds, and add the salt and pepper to taste.

3. After 1 minute pour in the white wine and bring it to a simmer for about 2 minutes or until they are cooked through, turning them only once.

4. As soon as they are cooked place them in a serving plate, they can be eaten hot or at room temperature.