Anchovies, Pan du Ma
marinated anchovies at La Cantina di Miky
I feel like anchovies get such a bad rap in the US. Most of my client’s in my pasta classes and tours are American, and at any mention of anchovies there is an immediate face of dislike or an immediate no I don’t eat anchovies. Lately, it’s been on trend to have tinned fishes, including anchovies, so there is a slight more acceptance to them but in some regions of Italy these are the local ingredient to have in dishes. So here’s my anchovy appreciation post….
In Tuscany for example there is a tradition of saltless bread, and there are a variety of lores as to why but as a result of not using salt there are some dishes that by tradition use capers or anchovies as the salt, such as in Tuscan fegatini. There is a very typical snack for aperitivo you will find in Tuscany called burro & acciughe that is simply butter and anchovies on a slice of toasted bread. It tastes so delicious as a pairing snack to white wine. While in Tuscany the consumption of butter really isn’t a thing, as extra virgin olive oil is drizzled generously on everything, on this burro & acciughe crostino it’s a must.
ceramic anchovy paperweights at Fabbrica D’Arte Monterosso
There are numerous regional pasta dishes from different parts of the country, as well, where anchovy is the staple ingredient like Bigoli in Salsa from Venice, Pasta con le Sarde in Sicily, Acciugata alla Toscana to name just a few and one of my absolute favorites is Acciugata alla Monterossina which is made at this specific restaurant in Monterosso, La Cantina di Miky.
I’ve been to La Cantina di Miky many times over the years, and it’s where I’ve really fallen in love with anchovies. They’re a 0 km restaurant that specialize in hyperlocal and seasonal cuisine, which feature anchovies in several dishes. This little blue fish, called pan du ma locally which means bread of the sea, are rich in vitamins, minerals and omega 3’s are not only delicious but so good for you. While the season for anchovies fished in the Ligurean Sea is from April to November, the best time for anchovies is during the June & July months caught near Monterosso. There is even a sagra, which is a food festival, dedicated to anchovies which takes place in July every year.
Trying anchovies here is a completely different experience, nothing like those anchovies in tins with oil that is what inspires this negative opinion of anchovies not being delicious. In Italy we do have a method of marinating anchovies in oil that uses white wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, which results in a much more delicious version than those tins. My favorite is anchovies preserved in salt,they’re layered in coarse salt, and after 2 months they’re ready to eat. Some cure them for even longer. The salt preserves them, and makes the fresh anchovies last throughout the year and to have during the colder months when they’re not fished. They’re a perfect pantry item for pastas, crostinis, tomato salads or simply wrapped around an olive like a tapa. Their saltiness tastes so good with a nice crisp glass of white wine. Aside from the artisanal methods of preserving anchovies, I also had no idea until eating here that fresh anchovies, as in not cured or marinated, were also prepared in local dishes like the acciugata I mentioned.
I’m sure many restaurants have their signature way of preparing anchovies, I’ll share how I’ve had them at La Cantina di Miky. On their menu as a starter they have an anchovy tasting, and there are two types: cold or hot. OR you can get both. I go here solo most of the time as a day escape during the Summer and choose only one, but when I go with friends or family it’s not even a question to get the entire tasting.
The cold tasting consists of their version of burro & acciughe using their house made anchovies packed in salt, marinated in lemon with herbs, and in carpione. In carpione is fried, and marinated cold with their house made pickled carrots. The hot tasting consists of fried anchovies, pan seared & dressed with local herbs, and stuffed with mortadella. Each preparation is so different, so delicious, it’s absolutely hard to choose a favorite.
Now let’s discuss their dish I dream about, and look forward to day tripping there and having around my birthday at the beginning of the Summer. This is their acciugata. This dish is made with fresh anchovies, fresh grape or cherry tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts, taggiasche olives, capers, oregano, and chili. It’s served with their fresh pasta which they make on site daily. I try to recreate this dish over and over and it never comes out as delicious as having at their seaside restaurant over a glass of local white wine. It’s savory, umami, light spiciness, herbaceous, briney, it’s just DELICIOUS!
Acciugata alla Monterossino, La Cantina di Miky
If you’re one of those that are not a fan of anchovies I recommend you give them a try when you’re in Italy, as it’s completely different than those tinned varieties we’re used to in the US. But next time I visit the US I’m on a mission to try some of these newer tinned varieties that have become really popular with the viral tinned fish trend. I’m hopeful that better options in the US currently exist.
If you ever are planning a visit to Monterosso and you want to try the most delicious anchovies ever, you go to La Cantina di Miky.
La Cantina di Miky
Via Fegina 90
Monterosso al Mare
