Alici sotto sale (anchovies under salt)
Small anchovies preserved in salt for months, then desalted and marinated in oil, vinegar, and garlic. Salty, melting, vibrant with acidity — a concentrate of the sea that keeps and enlivens any meal.
Small anchovies preserved in salt for months, then desalted and marinated in oil, vinegar, and garlic. Salty, melting, vibrant with acidity — a concentrate of the sea that keeps and enlivens any meal.
On Fridays and throughout Lent, flesh is forbidden us, and it is then that the sea comes to our aid. On our coasts, we take these little silver fish by the basketful, lay them in salt row upon row, and forget them until hunger calls. I then have them rinsed, married with oil and a splash of vinegar, with a touch of garlic — behold how to honor the lean day without subtracting from pleasure. Salt preserves the fish as faith preserves the soul: through patience and duration.
- •Fresh anchovies — in quantity (base product)
- •Sea salt — a lot, in layers (preservation)
- •Olive oil — to cover (marinade, protection)
- •Wine vinegar — a dash (acidity, desalting)
- •Garlic — a few slivers (aromatic)
- •Wild oregano — a pinch (southern fragrance)
Alici sotto sale (anchovies under salt)
Small anchovies preserved in salt for months, then desalted and marinated in oil, vinegar, and garlic. Salty, melting, vibrant with acidity — a concentrate of the sea that keeps and enlivens any meal.
Why this dish? As a cardinal, Ruffo observed Friday abstinence and Lent; coastal and frugal, salted or marinated fish was the providence of fasting days as well as long campaigns. The salting of anchovies, a major art of the southern and Sicilian coasts, provided a protein reserve that neither heat nor marching could spoil.
On Fridays and throughout Lent, flesh is forbidden us, and it is then that the sea comes to our aid. On our coasts, we take these little silver fish by the basketful, lay them in salt row upon row, and forget them until hunger calls. I then have them rinsed, married with oil and a splash of vinegar, with a touch of garlic — behold how to honor the lean day without subtracting from pleasure. Salt preserves the fish as faith preserves the soul: through patience and duration.
Ingredients (period version)
- Fresh anchovies — in quantity (base product)
- Sea salt — a lot, in layers (preservation)
- Olive oil — to cover (marinade, protection)
- Wine vinegar — a dash (acidity, desalting)
- Garlic — a few slivers (aromatic)
- Wild oregano — a pinch (southern fragrance)
Ingredients
- Fresh anchovies (or desalted commercial anchovy fillets) — 300 g (base product)
- Coarse sea salt — 500 g (for homemade salting) (preservation)
- Extra virgin olive oil — 150 ml (marinade)
- White wine vinegar — 3 tbsp (acidity, desalting)
- Garlic — 1 clove, sliced (aromatic)
- Dried oregano — 1 tsp (southern fragrance)
Method
- For the homemade version: head and gut the anchovies, layer them alternately with coarse salt in a jar, press down, and leave for 30 to 40 days in a cool place.
- Rinse the salted anchovies thoroughly and fillet them (or start with ready-to-use desalted fillets).
- Lay them flat in a shallow dish, drizzle with vinegar, leave for 10 minutes, then drain.
- Arrange garlic slivers and oregano, cover completely with olive oil.
- Leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight) before serving.
- Serve on garlic-rubbed grilled bread as an appetizer.
How it was made : Fish salting is one of the oldest preservation techniques in the Mediterranean. The southern coasts (Cetara, Sciacca, Calabria) made it a specialty; the brine from anchovies (colatura, heir to ancient garum) also flavored dishes. It was the protein of Lent, travel, and the long haul.
The contemporary twist : Served on a thin slice of oiled bread with a lemon zest and a hint of chili, these marinated anchovies become a perfectly contemporary wine bar cicchetto.
Cardinal Ruffo · Charactorium