In Italy, from April to September, the bright silver bodies of anchovies are piled up at local markets and pescivendoli. They’re made at home with family, with friends at BBQs, and grace just about every restaurant menu. You’ll find them fried, roasted, sautéed, and quick-cured (like in the recipe below). They’re everywhere.
But most folks in North America have never had fresh anchovies. And I can attest to this. I didn’t have my first one until I was at least 25, and it was in Calabria. My mom always bought the tinned ones growing up — so salty, so fishy. I loathed them, often declaring that they smelled like cat food. But I loved Caesar salad dressing. Imagine my surprise when I found out anchovies were one of the main ingredients….
Unfortunately, in North America, fresh anchovies can be a challenge to find (depending on where you live). You often need a fishmonger who sources them specifically. But once you taste them, they quickly become one of your favorites.
Fresh anchovies are a completely different food. Not a “better” version of the jarred or tinned ones, just different. They taste clean and bright, almost sweet, like the sea but not overwhelming. Honestly, they taste like summer. And since they’re so light, you can easily devour an entire plate of them, which is exactly what the Italians do.
We enjoyed anchovies in all the ways they’re made, but last week we experienced them in a new way. While in Cirò, a small city in Calabria, we visited a restaurant called Max’s (you should go), and the chef brought out alici scattariate.
It’s one of the simplest preparations: fresh anchovies cooked quickly in olive oil with garlic, chili, and oregano, then splashed with red wine vinegar in a hot pan. The vinegar sizzles the second it touches the oil, spattering. That’s actually where the name comes from. Scattiate means sprayed. They take about ten minutes to make. And you end up with a pan of anchovies that are simply addictive. We haven’t tried this at home, but we will let you know if we do.
If you’re in Italy or going soon, order anchovies any time you’re within 30 minutes of the sea. Look for alici fresche or alici marinate on the menu.
And if you’re home and ready to try fresh anchovies, make Lina’s recipe below. This process is also on YouTube, see below.
Serve 4 to 8 people (depending on how it’s served)
Make this as an appetizer or side. Perfect for a topping on bruschetta or simply eaten with a fork. Just make sure to remove them from the fridge at least 30 minutes before eating so the oil can come to room temperature.
The best oil to use for this is our Turi because it pairs well with seafood.
Note: This recipe is intentionally flexible. Adjust the garlic, spice, and herbs to your taste. The most important thing is that the flavors are evenly layered and dispersed.
1 kg / 2.2 lbs fresh anchovies, as fresh as possible, not cured
2 to 3 cups white wine vinegar (enough to fully submerge the fish)
1½ tbsp sea salt
1 to 2 cups extra virgin olive oil, plus more for layering
Juice of half a large lemon
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 to 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
Large handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Fresh mint, torn, to taste
½ to 1 whole spicy red pepper, finely chopped (optional)
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Whole pink peppercorns
Juice of half a large lemon
Extra fresh parsley and mint
More sliced garlic, if you love garlic, (optional)
More spicy red pepper, finely chopped (optional)
Clean the anchovies by hand. They’re too delicate for a knife. Grip the head between your thumb and forefinger and pull downward; the head comes off, and most of the guts come with it. Slit the belly, run your finger through under cold water, then flatten the fish and peel away the spine, dorsal fin, and tail. Rinse each fillet well to remove any remaining blood or innards.
Place all the cleaned fillets in a bowl. In a separate cup, combine the white wine vinegar and salt and stir until the salt dissolves as much as possible. Pour over the anchovies, they need to be fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
This is the same principle as ceviche: the acid does the curing.
In a bowl, make the oil mixture. Add everything to a bowl, stir with a fork, and set aside for 30 to 60 minutes. The garlic scents the oil without overpowering it.
Take the anchovies out of the refrigerator. Cover a large flat surface with 2 layers of paper towels (cutting board, baking sheet, countertop all work). Lift each fillet of anchovy from the vinegar mixture and lay it flat on the paper towels. You can layer the anchovies; just lay down a layer of paper towels between each layer. Pat the top layer dry. Begin layering (below) immediately.
In a clear glass container, pour a thin layer of plain olive oil on the bottom. Then begin the layers: first one flat layer of anchovies, then a generous drizzle of the scented oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon, a few pinches of fresh parsley and mint, and a few whole pink peppercorns, some salt and pepper to taste. Repeat until you’ve used all the anchovies. Add extra pepper corns. Everything should be submerged in oil. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This will be ready to eat within 1 hour, but it’s better to wait at least 4 to 24 hours.
On the garlic: Pour the scented oil carefully into the anchovies and leave the garlic cloves behind unless you want a stronger flavor. We prefer it less garlicky. If you love garlic, you can add the cloves to the anchovies or add thinly sliced cloves directly to the layers.
On the spices and herbs: Some people make this only with parsley, others only with mint. Some like it spicy, others don’t. Make this your own! The one thing that isn’t flexible is that the anchovies must cure for 24 hours.
A presto,
-Giuseppe and Skyler
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