Escalivada Toast with Anchovies Recipe

Without a doubt, the recipe for escalivada toast with anchovies is a great dish or, rather, a very simple typical Catalan tapa. But behind this simple dish, several of the ingredients that make up the Catalan gastronomy are hidden. To make the classic recipe, it must be made with ‘Pa de Pagès‘, a traditional Catalan bread. This bread has a denomination of origin and its flavor, thickness and texture make it unique and delicious. It is made with wheat flour, water, salt, sourdough and yeast, and its golden crust is thick and crispy. It is also ideal for its white bread crumbs with large and irregular bubbles that make it very fluffy.

Another fundamental part of this recipe is the pa amb tomaquet, ie, a tomato spread on bread, another traditional Catalan recipe.  Finally, we must be aware that there is an impressive quality to the products of Catalonia, which includes many main dishes such as ‘suquets’ or other foods they use to decorate and give flavor to their dishes. Add some anchovies, the perfect ones are found in the fishing village of La Escala, where they have a well deserved reputation for being of such high quality. In a single bite, we will enjoy a lot of the Catalan gastronomy. Shall we get started?

Ingredients:

  • 1 Eggplant
  • A green pepper
  • A red pepper
  • 2 onions
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 8 anchovies fillets
  • Pa de Pagès (a traditional Catalan bread)
  • Oil
  • Garlic

How to Make the Escalivada Toast with Anchovies:

  1. In the oven, cook the eggplant, peppers and onions for half an hour.
  2. When they are ready, peel them and cut them into very thin strips. Stir it all together.
  3. Before eating the escalivada, toast the bread and spread on the tomato and garlic. Add the escalivada and some anchovies. You can top it off with a light drizzle of oil.

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