Acciughe al Sale e al Limone

Name: Acciughe al Sale e al Limone
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Ligure
Ingredients: 350 g acciughe sotto sale (whole salt-cured anchovies); 60 ml ligurian extra virgin olive oil; 25 ml Lemon juice; 0.5 tsp lemon zest; 10 g fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1 clove Garlic; 30 ml white wine vinegar; 0.25 tsp Black pepper

Salt-cured anchovy fillets rinsed and lightly dressed with fresh lemon juice, Ligurian olive oil, garlic, and parsley.

🇮🇹Italy· Liguria

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 0 min
Total: 25 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 185 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

350 g acciughe sotto sale (whole salt-cured anchovies) — rinsed of coarse salt
60 ml ligurian extra virgin olive oil — preferably Taggiasca olive oil
25 ml Lemon juice — freshly squeezed
½ tsp lemon zest — finely grated, unwaxed
10 g fresh flat-leaf parsley — finely chopped
1 clove Garlic — very thinly sliced
30 ml white wine vinegar — for rinsing brine
¼ tsp Black pepper — freshly cracked

Equipment

•Filleting knife
•Shallow ceramic dish
•Fine mesh strainer
•Paper towels

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 185 kcal
fat: 13 g
carbs: 1 g
fibre: 0 g
protein: 16 g
calories: 185 kcal

Instructions

1
If curing fresh anchovies at home, freeze them at minus twenty degrees for twenty-four hours first for safety.
2
Gently rinse the whole salt-cured anchovies in cold water mixed with vinegar to remove excess salt.
3
Pinch off the head and run your thumb along the belly to open each fish flat.
4
Lift out the central backbone and tail fin cleanly without tearing the delicate flesh.
5
Separate the fish into two distinct fillets and gently scrape away any remaining interior dark skin.
6
Pat every fillet completely dry on both sides with absorbent paper towels.
7
Lay the dried fillets in a single flat layer across a shallow ceramic platter.
8
Scatter the paper-thin garlic slices, grated lemon zest, and finely chopped parsley across the fillets.
9
Drizzle the Ligurian olive oil and lemon juice evenly over the fish to cover completely.
10
Season lightly with cracked black pepper and rest in the refrigerator for fifteen minutes before serving.

Chef's tips

Drying the fillets thoroughly before dressing is essential so the olive oil clings properly. Always use a gentle, mild extra virgin olive oil such as Ligurian Taggiasca so the fish flavour is not overwhelmed. If the salt-cured anchovies are intensely salty, soak the cleaned fillets in cold water for ten minutes before drying.

Ingredient substitutions

acciughe sotto sale (whole salt-cured anchovies) → high-quality desalted anchovy fillets in oil, drained thoroughly
Ligurian extra virgin olive oil → mild, fruity cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil

Storage

Keep dressed fillets fully submerged in oil inside an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Reheating

Serve cold or at cool room temperature; do not heat this cold cured dish.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Leaving the fillets wet after rinsing, which causes the oil dressing to separate and taste watery.
•Over-marinating in lemon juice hours ahead, which causes the delicate cured flesh to turn mushy.
•Failing to freeze raw fish before home salt-curing to eliminate potential marine parasites.

Serving suggestions

Serve chilled or at cool room temperature alongside warm Ligurian focaccia.Accompany with unsalted farmhouse butter and crusty rustic bread.Pair with a chilled glass of Ligurian Pigato or Vermentino white wine.