Acciughe al Verde — Anchovies in Green Sauce

Submerge the salt-packed anchovy fillets in cold water and leave for 15 minutes, so the salt leaves the centre of the fish, not just its surface — the flesh should arrive at firm and pale pink, neither mushy nor aggressively salty to the tongue. Lift them clear and pat thoroughly dry with paper, because any residual water will dilute the sauce and prevent the oil from clinging. Fillet carefully by running the thumb along the spine to separate each fillet cleanly, then discard all bones.

Chop the parsley leaves by knife to a fine, bright-green rubble, working with a rocking motion rather than pressing down hard, so the cells are cut cleanly and the herb stays vivid rather than bruised to grey. Do not use a blender or processor, because the friction and heat turn the herb dull and bitter within seconds. The finished parsley should hold its colour and release a clean, grassy scent when you bring your hand close.

Combine the parsley and rinsed capers in a bowl, add the red wine vinegar and the olive oil, and stir to unite. Taste: the sauce should be sharp, herbal, and rounded by the oil — neither flat nor aggressively acidic. This is where the dish lives or dies: the balance of acid to oil here determines whether the finished preparation is vivid or harsh, and cannot be corrected once the anchovies have marinated.

Lay the anchovy fillets in a single layer in a shallow dish and nestle the crushed whole garlic cloves among them — do not mince the garlic, because whole crushed cloves perfume the oil gently over the long marination without turning pungent and sharp. Pour the green sauce over, ensuring every fillet is coated and submerged, then cover with film and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours; overnight is better. At the end of marinating the fillets will have taken on a deeper, less saline character and the sauce will smell of parsley and anchovy together rather than separately.

Remove the garlic cloves before serving, then arrange the fillets on toasted bread or alongside crushed boiled potato. Allow the dish to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving, so the olive oil — which will have partially set in the cold — runs freely again and coats each fillet with a visible sheen.