Ligurian and Campanian coasts. Salting anchovies is one of the oldest food preservation techniques of the Mediterranean — documented in Ligurian and Roman sources. The artisanal tradition continues in small-scale operations along the Riviera and at Menaica.
The preservation of fresh anchovies under coarse salt in terracotta or glass vessels is one of the foundational techniques of Ligurian and Italian coastal cooking. The fish cure for a minimum of 3 months, developing through enzymatic autolysis into the deep, complex, umami-rich product entirely different from tinned anchovy fillets. The process is alive — the salt draws moisture, the enzymes break down protein into glutamates, and the characteristic amber colour and pungent-but-refined flavour develop over time.
Properly cured salt anchovies have none of the harsh, tinny fishiness of commercial tinned products. The flavour is deep, savoury, and complex — glutamate-rich umami with a clean saltiness and a slight fermented complexity. They dissolve in fat and enhance rather than announce themselves.
Fresh anchovies (alici) are layered with coarse sea salt in alternating layers — fish, salt, fish, salt — ending with a thick salt layer on top. A weight is placed on top to press the fish down as they cure. The curing vessel must be ceramic, glass, or food-safe plastic — not metal. Temperature is ideally 14-18°C (a cool cellar or the bottom of a fridge). After 3 months, the fish are rinsed, the fillets separated from the spine and head, rinsed again, and packed in olive oil. The quality of the anchovies at this stage is directly proportional to the freshness at the start.
The best Ligurian salt-packed anchovies (Alici di Menaica, from the Campanian coast near Pisciotta, are actually the benchmark product in this tradition) have red-amber flesh and a complex flavour without fishiness. Desalt by soaking fillets in cold water 15-20 minutes before use. The spine of a well-cured anchovy will pull away cleanly in one piece, leaving two perfect fillets. Use the curing brine — colatura di alici — as a liquid seasoning.
Using non-fresh anchovies — the product will be rancid rather than cured. Not using enough salt — the fish rot rather than cure. Not applying weight — the fish don't press together and the cure is uneven. Opening the vessel before 3 months — premature extraction results in bitter, under-cured fish. Rinsing too aggressively after curing — some of the developed flavour is in the salt crust.
Giorgio Locatelli, Made in Italy; Paul Bertolli, Cooking by Hand