Non-VegetarianCalabrese cuisine Starters

Sardella Calabrese

Name: Sardella Calabrese
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Calabrese
Ingredients: 500 g fresh small anchovies or sprats; 60 g Fine sea salt; 50 g sweet calabrian ground chilli; 20 g hot calabrian ground chilli; 10 g wild fennel seeds; 150 ml Extra virgin olive oil

Sardella Calabrese is a fiery, savoury Calabrian fish spread made with tiny fish, wild fennel seeds, and intense ground chilli.

🇮🇹Italy· Calabria

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 0 min
Total: 25 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 165 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 6 gathered

Servings

500 g fresh small anchovies or sprats — cleaned, heads and innards removed, patted dry
60 g Fine sea salt — for curing
50 g sweet calabrian ground chilli — peperoncino dolce in polvere
20 g hot calabrian ground chilli — peperoncino piccante in polvere
10 g wild fennel seeds — semi di finocchietto selvatico
150 ml Extra virgin olive oil — plus extra to top the jar

Equipment

•Sterilised glass jar
•Mixing bowl
•Mortar and pestle
•Sharp chef knife

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 165 kcal
fat: 11 g
carbs: 3 g
fibre: 1 g
protein: 12 g
calories: 165 kcal

Instructions

1
Clean and rinse the small fish thoroughly under cold water, then pat completely dry with paper towels.
2
Finely chop the fish on a clean board until it forms a textured, cohesive mince.
3
Transfer the minced fish to a clean mixing bowl and sprinkle evenly with the fine sea salt.
4
Mix the salted fish thoroughly with a fork, pressing firmly to draw out moisture.
5
Lightly crush the wild fennel seeds in a mortar to release their aromatic oils.
6
Add the crushed fennel seeds, sweet ground chilli, and hot ground chilli to the fish.
7
Stir the mixture vigorously until a uniform, bright red paste forms.
8
Spoon the paste into clean sterilised glass jars, pressing out any trapped air pockets.
9
Pour extra virgin olive oil over the top until the paste is completely submerged.
10
Seal the jars tightly and refrigerate for at least forty-eight hours before eating.

Chef's tips

Keep the fish completely submerged beneath olive oil at all times to prevent spoilage. You can adjust the ratio of sweet to hot ground chilli to suit your heat tolerance while maintaining the vivid red colour.

Ingredient substitutions

wild fennel seeds → standard whole fennel seeds, crushed lightly
Calabrian hot ground chilli → cayenne pepper mixed with sweet Hungarian paprika

Storage

Store sealed jars in the refrigerator with the fish fully submerged under olive oil for up to one month.

Reheating

Sardella is served cold or at room temperature; do not heat directly, but stir into freshly cooked hot pasta off the heat.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Leaving air pockets in the jar, which can accelerate oxidation and spoilage.
•Failing to dry the fresh fish thoroughly before mincing, introducing excess moisture.
•Storing the preserve at room temperature instead of in the refrigerator.

Serving suggestions

Spread thinly onto warm, crusty slices of rustic sourdough bread.Toss a spoonful through hot spaghetti with raw extra virgin olive oil.Serve alongside sweet Tropea red onions and mature pecorino cheese.