ANCHOVIES IN EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL 240g

The Desalted Anchovy Fillets by Testa Conserve celebrate anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus), small fish with an intense flavour and rich in omega-3. The anchovies, caught in the Mediterranean Sea (FAO Area 37.2.2 and 37.1.3) using the purse seine fishing method, are desalted using traditional methods and preserved in high-quality IGP extra virgin olive oil. This artisanal process enhances the natural flavour of the anchovies, maintaining their soft and tasty texture.

Testa Conserve Desalted Anchovy Fillets in EVO Olive Oil are perfect for enriching salads, pizzas, appetisers and pasta dishes. Their tender texture and strong flavour also make them ideal to be enjoyed on their own, accompanied by crusty bread and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

If you think of the Sicilian sea, you think of anchovies: slender, elongated, silver-coloured fish with a blue back which, once salted, is commonly known as anchovies. The anchovies enter the Portopalo di Capopassero plant at a temperature of +4 degrees to be transferred to a holding cell.

First, the fish is “scapuzzato” with a pressure of the thumb and index finger, at the height of the gills, to remove the head and viscera. Within two hours of arrival, the anchovies are salted and placed in containers called ‘cugni’.

The curing time of salted anchovies varies according to climate and air quality, dry or humid. The cousins are transferred into 70-kilo bins, on which weights are placed: it is the pressure that draws out the blood and excess water.

After maturing, the anchovies are removed from the salt. To remove any residual liquid, they are wrapped in perforated cloths and passed through a centrifuge. Once the anchovies have been boned, it is time to fill the jar with cold-pressed organic seed oil: the skill lies in placing each fillet on top of the next, forming a continuous wall around the entire circumference of the jar.

Once the ritual is complete, the anchovies will be ready like a little treasure kept in a casket: a precious fish to bring to the table, for its taste, versatility and contribution of Omega-3, useful in the prevention of certain diseases.