Wild anchovies fished in spring off Italy’s Amalfi Coast, where only the largest are chosen. They mature under sea salt for at least 8 months in traditional chestnut barrels called terzigni, then are cleaned, filleted by hand and covered in olive oil. Tender fillets, delicate yet deeply savoury, with a clean, briny finish. This is Cetara’s centuries-old craft in a tin.
Armatore is run by the Della Monica family, who have fished anchovies and bluefin tuna out of Cetara, known as Italy’s anchovy capital, for four generations. Every fillet is still selected and cleaned by hand by the women of the village. Give it to the friend who swears they don’t like anchovies, or pair it with our bluefin tuna for an all-Italian antipasto board.
Lay them over buttered toast or crostini, melt them into olive oil with garlic and chili for a quick pasta, or whisk them into a Caesar dressing or salsa verde. Save the oil for dressing salads.
