Non-VegetarianCalabrese cuisine Starters

Alici Salate

Name: Alici Salate
Prep time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Calabrese
Ingredients: 1000 g fresh whole anchovies (alici); 1000 g coarse sea salt (sale grosso); 4 units dried bay leaves; 1 tsp Black peppercorns; 1 tsp calabrian dried chilli flakes (peperoncino); 60 ml Extra virgin olive oil

Fresh anchovies cured in layers of coarse sea salt, an essential Calabrian pantry staple packed with intense, savoury flavour.

🇮🇹Italy· Calabria

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 0 min
Total: 35 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 110 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 6 gathered

Servings

1000 g fresh whole anchovies (alici) — extremely fresh, firm and bright-eyed
1000 g coarse sea salt (sale grosso) — unrefined
4 units dried bay leaves — whole
1 tsp Black peppercorns — whole
1 tsp calabrian dried chilli flakes (peperoncino) — crushed
60 ml Extra virgin olive oil — for dressing before serving

Equipment

•1-litre wide-mouth glass jar
•Kitchen paper
•Small food-grade weight or glass disc
•Filleting knife

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 110 kcal
fat: 5 g
carbs: 0 g
fibre: 0 g
protein: 16 g
calories: 110 kcal

Instructions

1
Twist off the head of each anchovy, gently pulling to draw out the gut in one smooth motion.
2
Wipe each fish clean with dry kitchen paper without rinsing under tap water.
3
Scatter a solid 1 cm layer of coarse sea salt over the base of the sterilised jar.
4
Lay the anchovies in a tight single layer, alternating head-to-tail across the salt.
5
Cover the fish completely with another generous layer of coarse sea salt, tucking in a bay leaf.
6
Add a few peppercorns and a pinch of chilli flakes over the salt layer.
7
Repeat layering fish and salt in alternating directional rows until all anchovies are packed.
8
Finish with a deep layer of salt so no fish remains exposed to the air.
9
Place a clean weight directly on the top salt layer to press the fish down.
10
Seal the jar loosely and transfer to the refrigerator or a cool, dark cellar below 15C for 45 days.
11
To use, lift out required fish, rinse thoroughly under cold water, strip away the backbone, and pat dry.
12
Dress the prepared fillets with extra virgin olive oil before eating.

Chef's tips

Never wash the raw anchovies in fresh water before salting, as tap water encourages spoilage bacteria. Ensure every single fish is completely surrounded by coarse salt to avoid pockets of air. Modern domestic food hygiene recommends keeping the curing jar in the refrigerator or a temperature-controlled space below 15 degrees C.

Ingredient substitutions

Calabrian dried chilli flakes (peperoncino) → mild crushed red pepper flakes or omit entirely for a classic plain cure
whole anchovies → fresh European sardines (sarde), allowing an extra 15 to 20 days curing time

Storage

Keep the salted jar weighted in the refrigerator where the anchovies will keep in their salt brine for up to twelve months.

Reheating

Salted anchovies are eaten cold or dissolved gently directly into warm cooking oil without pre-reheating.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Rinsing the raw fish in fresh tap water before packing into salt
•Using fine table salt instead of coarse sea salt, which over-salts and turns the flesh mushy
•Failing to apply a weight on top, leaving air gaps between fish layers
•Eating the fish before the full 45-day curing time has passed

Serving suggestions

Dressed with extra virgin olive oil and oregano over warm toasted country breadMelted into warm olive oil with garlic as a flavour base for sauteed wild greensServed whole alongside sweet pickled red onions and fresh crusty pane casereccio