Anchovies from Cetara

The tiny fishing village of Cetara

Cetara is a teensy fishing village off the breathtaking Amalfi Coast drive. It is a hidden gem, thankfully neglected by mass tourism. The town is world famous for one thing: anchovies. For several years, we have been visiting Cetara in search of their famous anchovies and the ethereal Colatura di Alici that is made from them. We were so, so lucky when we met Giuseppe Battista and his wife Gina Ferrigno, the owners of Delfino which started processing anchovies in 1950 with Giuseppe’s father, Pasquale. Now, they are still following the centuries-old artisanal traditions and techniques with passion and pride.

The anchovies are prepared in two ways:

Alici Salate, the whole fish in salt.
If you want the full-on flavor of the anchovy, these deliver. They need to be rinsed in cold water, and depending on how much saltiness you want to extract, soaked before cleaning and filleting.

Alici Sott’Olio, filleted in oil.
These are a real labor-saver – ready to use - and the taste is more subtle, delicate and less salty.

Both final methods of jarring are processed in the same ancient manner. As soon as the fish are caught, they are gutted and rinsed in salt water, then layered in sea salt for several months. The salt extracts the liquid from the fish and preserves its flesh. When ready, they are directly packed for the alici salate and painstakingly filleted by hand and packed in oil for the alici sott’olio. The prized alici from the Cetara are all from the Mediterranean, smaller and more refined tasting than the Spanish anchovies from the Atlantic.

Colatura di Alici – the Secret Ingredient
This nectar is virtually only made in the single tiny village of Cetara. It is an ancient condiment made by layering anchovies and salt in barrels for many months and then poking a whole in the bottom to let the delicate amber juice seep out. It is thought by many as the Italian umami, the secret ingredient in many dishes, adding the subtle essence of the sea. It can be used any place a recipe calls for dissolving anchovies, or it can create a great surprise by drizzling it on ripe tomatoes or deviled eggs, and it is spectacular in vinaigrettes. Often you see it mislabeled as garum, which is made from fermented fish and is not near as subtle and lovely.