Italian String Beans With Anchovies and Breadcrumbs Recipe

Preheat your oven to 300F.

Toss some day-old bread into a food processor and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Whole grain bread or a good loaf from a local bakery will give you the best texture and flavor here.

Spread the breadcrumbs onto a foil-lined baking dish. Add salt, pepper, oregano, and a drizzle of olive oil, then toss with your hands to make sure everything is evenly coated. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until they turn a deep gold.

While the breadcrumbs are toasting, mash four of the anchovy fillets with a fork. They don't need to be a smooth paste, just broken down.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over low heat, then add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Drop in the mashed anchovies and use a wooden spoon to flatten them, stirring until they completely dissolve into the oil, leaving behind a rich, savoury base.

Turn the heat up to medium, add the chopped onion, and stir until it's soft and translucent, which should take about five minutes.