Preheat oven to 400° F (205° C).  Line a half-sheet rimmed tray with baking parchment.

Unroll puff pastry on a silicone rolling mat or lightly floured work surface. With a sharp chef’s knife, trim puff pastry into a 10 x 12-inch rectangle.

Slice rectangle in half to form two 6 x 10-inch rectangles. Rotate so the longer sides are facing you.

With a pastry brush, apply a thin layer of egg wash to both rectangles.

Arrange the anchovies on the bottom rectangle in 4 horizontal rows of 3-4 anchovies each, allowing about 1 inch of space in between each row, and a 1-inch border along the top and bottom edges.

Apply an additional strip of egg wash along the top and bottom borders.

Top with the second puff pastry rectangle.*

With your fingertips, pat down the pastry until it fits snugly around the anchovies. It will have a ridged appearance, almost like a street with speed bumps.

Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash.

Sprinkle generously with sesame seeds, distributing the seeds evenly over the entire surface.

With a sharp chef’s knife, slice the rectangle vertically into strips, each about 1/2-inch – 5/8-inches wide. You should have approximately 14-16 strips.

Arrange on prepared tray, allowing space for the sticks to puff as they bake.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until flaky and golden brown.

Cool on tray for 5 minutes, then use a metal spatula to transfer anchovy sticks to a wire cooling rack.

Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.