Small and delicious: i whitebait I am anchovies or sardinesbelong to blue fish family and boast the distinction of being the smallest (they are just over 2 mm long). What exactly are sea whitebait? How are they used in the kitchen?
Some of you will know them by other names, such as cicinielli, gianchetti, juvenile fish, fry, given that they take on different names depending on the Italian regions in which they are fished. However, these are newly hatched anchovies or sardines.
The first thing you need to know about whitebait is that I’m a type of fish protected by strict legislation, so it is not always found on the fish counter. However, when they are there, you can easily recognize them because they appear as a gelatinous and very shiny mass and to verify whether they are small sardines or anchovies you just need to know the period in which they were caught.
Whitebait fishing is regulated to protect blue fish. Anchovies spawn between May and September (at the end of the first year of age) therefore whitebait are a summer product, while sardines reach maturity around the second year of age and spawn in the winter months which is why they are a typically winter product.
Bianchetti: pay attention to the origin
Bianchetti are the basic ingredients of many recipes, especially for fried foods and omelettes, while in Liguria they prepare farinata. Unfortunately i whitebait they have a price very high so if you find them at rock bottom prices be very careful because it could be other types of fish, first of all redheads or whitebait.
If you’re wondering what is the difference between white and lipstick you must keep in mind that these are two different types of fish: whitebait are fresh-born anchovies and sardines while lipsticks belong to the species Aphia minuta and they tend to be longer and more robust and take on a pinkish color. The same goes for the background whitebaits (Crystallogobius linearis).
Whitebait are often confused with ice fish that populate the freshwater rivers of China and the sea waters of the tropics. Always ask the fishmonger where the whitebait comes from!
How to clean whiteboards
Before eating the whitebait you must wash them to remove all impurities and grains of sand. Use a narrow mesh colander to prevent thelively it disperses. It is not a nutritional substance but the typical sea flavor that is felt when you sit on the shore and that envelops the palate when you eat whitebait.
We do not recommend storing them in the fridge for more than a day, rather consume them the same day if you buy them fresh or freeze them immediately in a plastic bag.
Bianchetti: recipes and ideas
The traditional way of savoring the whitewash it is certainly like seafood cruditè, that is, raw seafood with a strong seafood flavour. But it’s not the only way. How to eat whitebait?
Those who can’t eat raw fish cook whitebait al steam arranging them on a retina. It only takes a few minutes. When the color turns white they can be placed on the plate and seasoned with salt, lemon and extra virgin olive oil.
They can also be prepared whitebait pancakes. For the frying, prepare the batter with egg and flour or with flour and sparkling water and add the whitebait with a spoon, take a part of it and fry it in boiling oil.
Finally if you want to try i fried whitebait as an omelette, you just have to sear the whitebait with oil for a few minutes and then add the eggs.
