Cooking One of Spain’s Most Popular Tapas
Photography: Ansel Boss
“A speciality of Málaga - fresh anchovies lightly coated in flour and quickly deep-fried.”
Boquerones Fritos (deep-fried anchovies) appear on tapas menus across Spain but are especially associated with Málaga, where locals are affectionately known as boquerones.
The dish is simple: fresh anchovies lightly coated in flour and quickly deep-fried. If fresh anchovies are hard to find, frozen whitebait from a supermarket or Spanish deli works well.
Anchovies from Málaga are typically caught in the Alborán Sea, the stretch of Mediterranean between Andalucía and North Africa.
Ingredients
250g European anchovies (or whitebait)
6 heaped tbsp plain flour
Sunflower oil for deep frying
2 lemons, cut into wedges
Salt and pepper
Method
1. If preferred, remove heads and guts (in Spain they’re often eaten whole).
2. Mix flour with salt and pepper.
3. Heat sunflower oil until very hot.
4. Coat fish lightly in seasoned flour.
5. Fry in small batches for about 1 minute until golden.
6. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with lemon wedges.
Serves 4 as a side
food lovers guide to spain
If you want to learn to make other Tapas dishes you can learn to do so in Spain in this Small-Group Tapas Cooking Class in Madrid
How to Order Tapas like a local
Insiders Guide to Spain
WALK THE CAMINO FRANCES
DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT INSURANCE
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