Name: Hamsili Pilav (Anchovy Rice Pilaf)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 600 g fresh anchovies, cleaned and filleted; 300 g short-grain rice; 1 onion, chopped; 50 g raisins; 30 g pine nuts; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp allspice; 0.25 tsp saffron threads soaked in 2 tbsp warm water; 600 ml fish stock; salt

Instructions

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1Preheat the oven to 200°C and oil a round baking dish.

2Sauté the onion in olive oil until soft, add the rice and stir 2 minutes.

3Add the stock, saffron water, raisins, pine nuts, allspice and salt.

4Simmer 10 minutes until the rice is half-cooked.

5Line the dish with half the anchovy fillets, skin-side down, overlapping like shingles.

6Spread the rice over, then cover with the remaining anchovies.

7Bake 30 minutes until the fish layer is golden and crisp.

8Rest 5 minutes, then invert onto a plate so the crisp layer faces up.

Chef's Tip

Par-cooking the rice in the saffron stock lets it finish inside the fish 'lid' without going mushy.

More tips ↓

Overlapping the anchovies like shingles creates a solid crust that holds the pie together when flipped.
Flipping at the end puts the crisp fish layer on top — the Black Sea way to serve it.

Hamsili Pilav (Anchovy Rice Pilaf)

Ingredients

Instructions

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