Morning recess is over and we children file past classroom doors and wriggle back into our seats for lessons. The odor of fish permeates the building, overtaking over the smells of chalk dust and wool sweaters, proclaiming it is Friday. As a child, I reluctantly ate fish sticks in my school cafeteria, knowing my cousins in Italy would be going home to delicious Alici on this—and every--Friday evening.

There in my family’s small village, food comes daily to the comunita as it has for centuries: in the past by horse or mule-drawn carts, today with men in small in trucks –venditori ambulanti. Throughout the week these venditori ambulanti deliver cheeses (specifically fresh mozzarella), luscious fruits and vegetables, cooking utensils, and baccala—a cod-like fish. The Baccala Man brings my favorite little fish, the Alici…which is why my family calls him the Alici Man. Every Friday, the famiglia Bruno prepares the fish with few and simple ingredients, like most foods in Italy. Here’s how we make Alici Fritte. Goda—please enjoy/be delighted! Diana F. Bruno

Alici Fritte
• 2 lbs. Alici (very small fish, one to two inches in length)
• Cover the bottom of a 12 inch frying pan with olive oil. Slowly heat the oil, until it glistens.
• While the oil is heating, begin lightly breading the Alici with a good Italian Flour/ Farina
• Add Alici to the pan slowly. In small batches about ½ lb. at a time. Lightly brown Alici on both sides 1 to 2 minutes. Watch closely so that the oil does not to get overly hot or that the Alici crust too dark. The Alici should look golden and crispy.
• Drain directly from the frying pan onto a paper towels.
• Finish with Salt and Fresh Lemon

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