Cucumber and anchovy tartine

Quick-pickled cucumber and onion and plump anchovies sit on top of golden crouton fingers. This is a great way to use up bread that's a day or two old.

Credit: Barossa Gourmet with Justine Schofield

• serves

  4

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  5 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil, for shallow frying
• ½ loaf of 2-day-old sourdough, crust removed, bread cut into 8 finger-sized batons
• 8 good quality anchovies (I like Ortiz)

Pickled cucumber

• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp salt flakes
• 1 small Lebanese cucumber (or 3 babu qukes), thinly sliced into rounds
• 1 salad onion, finely sliced into rounds
• Pinch of freshly chopped chives

Serves 4 as a canape.

Standing time: 5-10 minutes.

Instructions

1. For the quick pickles, combine the sugar, vinegar and salt and mix to dissolve. Add the cucumber and onion and combine. Let stand for 5-10 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a pan over a medium-high heat and fry bread batons all over until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towel.
3. Drain cucumber from pickling liquid. Top batons with a layer of cucumber and then anchovies, some onion and a sprinkle of chives.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.