The Punchy Ingredient Giada De Laurentiis Spikes Her Bread Crumbs With

Chef Giada De Laurentiis has plenty of genius cooking tips on her TikTok page, like ways to use up leftover parmesan rinds for extra flavor or how to make soups more creamy without the use of dairy. In her newest cookbook "Super-Italian," De Laurentiis has an entire chapter dedicated to her lifelong love of homemade condiments. Included in this chapter is a recipe for garlicky breadcrumbs that uses whole garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, and an ingredient you might not expect to find in breadcrumbs: whole anchovy filets. Common in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, anchovy adds extra salty flavor to the breadcrumbs, contrasted by adding lemon zest once the mixture has cooled for additional brightness. 

In a TikTok video, you can see that the filets of anchovy seem to melt down in the pan, flavoring the oil without leaving behind large chunks of fish to contend with, as you want the breadcrumbs to be a uniform texture throughout. De Laurentiis says she makes a batch of them almost weekly and keeps the flavor-packed crumbs in a container near her stove to use whenever she wants.

De Laurentiis uses the garlicky, anchovy-flavored breadcrumbs on a radicchio Caesar salad, but there are so many other applications for the crispy breadcrumbs. They would be great on top of pasta, providing a crunchy texture that contrasts with noodles and sauce. If you want to double down on the fish flavor, use the anchovy breadcrumbs to top next-level meatballs made with anchovies.

Anchovies are one of the ingredients that Giada De Laurentiis always keeps in her pantry, so it should come as no surprise that she's keen on incorporating them into more dishes than you might expect. Even famed chef Nancy Silverton recommends using anchovies in ways other than just a Caesar dressing, like pestos or salsa verdes for fish dishes. While they are commonly sold in metal tins, opt for jarred filets packed in oil, if you can find them, for better flavor and texture. 

Since you're unlikely to use an entire tin of anchovies at once, make sure you know the proper way to store canned anchovies after you've opened them so you can continue to put them to good use. There are plenty of creative ways to use anchovy oil, so be sure not to throw any of it away — you can even give butter a punch of umami with the leftover oil. In the event that you have filets left over, incorporate them into a variety of dishes with our best ways to elevate canned anchovies. If you're worried about the sodium content of your meal, use another of De Laurentii's tips by seasoning with lemon juice in place of salt to help balance the flavor without adding more salt.