Anchovies with Green Sauce

By Nonna Letizia (Cristiano’s grandma).
 

This recipe is very traditional and my grandmother Letizia used to make it regularly. You might enjoy this recipe on our tours in Piedmont!

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 1/2 lb of anchovies cured in salt
• 1/2 cup of fresh parsley
• 1 slice of bread
• 1/4 cup of wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 cup of EVOO
• 1 small chily pepper

Directions:

• Place the anchovies in a bowl of water to soak (this begins the process of removing the salt)
• Change the water a few times and rinse the anchovies further if you prefer a less salty taste
• Transfer the anchovies into a bowl with the vinegar
• Patiently separate the fillets from the bones then carefully pat each fillet dry
• Wash and dry the parsley
• Mince the garlic clove
• Remove the crust on the bread slice, soak the soft part in the vinegar and squeeze it to ring out excess vinegar
• On a cutting board, pile one tablespoon of the squeezed bread, the minced garlic, washed parsley and chili pepper and chop them all together very finely. (When she made this dish, my nonna included the bones of the anchovies so as not to waste anything, but the taste can be a little too intense, so I prefer to leave them out)
• Place the mixture into a bowl and add the EVOO to obtain a fine sauce
• Spoon some sauce into the bottom of a glass container and spread evenly across the bottom. Lay anchovies over it, then repeat with the sauce again, alternating layers of fish and sauce
• Pour some EVOO across the top to seal the dish
• Cover and store in the fridge

This appetizer can last for weeks (if properly stored in fridge and covered with EVOO) and enjoyed with butter on a piece of toasted bread or simply with bread only as we do in Piedmont. Buon appetito!