Why it works: Parmesan cheese and milk are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 15% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,608 recipes. Both carry ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, which smells fruity, apple. The science ↓
Anchovy Eclairs
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a brisk oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare
Wash, bone, and dry the anchovies.
Roll out the puff pastry thinly and cut into oblong pieces, slightly longer than the anchovies.
Assemble
Enclose an anchovy in each piece of pastry and seal the edge with a little milk.
Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
Bake and serve
Bake in a brisk oven at 400°F (200°C) until nicely browned and crisp.
Serve hot.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Parmesan cheese + milktop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,608 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Anchovies
- Provide the salty, savory flavor that defines the eclair.
- Puff pastry trimmings
- Form a flaky, layered casing that puffs and crisps around the fish.
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Adds savory flavor and helps the top brown as it bakes.
- Milk
- Acts as a glue to seal the pastry edges so they stay closed in the oven.
The step that matters
Sealing the pastry edges. If the edges are not sealed well with milk, steam and melting fat can escape during baking, leaving the anchovy exposed and the pastry less puffed. A firm seal keeps the filling enclosed while the pastry rises.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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