Ingredients

serves 6

　　Whole milk, for soaking

　　18 best-quality anchovy fillets

　　36 small to medium, narrow, fresh sage leaves

　　1 to 2 tablespoons instant flour (such as Wondra)

　　1 large egg, lightly beaten

　　Extra-virgin olive oil, for frying

　　

Step 1

Put the milk into a shallow dish. Add the anchovy fillets; soak 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels, and pat dry. Cut the fillets to be the same length as the sage leaves. Lay each sage leaf face up on a large cutting board. Place an anchovy fillet on half of the sage leaves; crush with fork tines, being careful not to tear leaves. Sandwich with another leaf, face down. Press with the back of a spoon to seal.

　　

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 200°F. Put the flour into a bowl and the egg into another. Heat 1/4 inch oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Coat 6 of the anchovy-sage sandwiches with flour, shaking off any excess, then with egg, allowing excess to drip off. Fry, turning once, until golden, 45 seconds to 1 minute per side. Drain on paper towels. Transfer to the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining anchovies. Serve immediately.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.