Colatura di alici

The colatura di alici from Cetara (Italian anchovy sauce) is an explosion of taste, an amber liquid with the scent of sea and traditions. We are in the Amalfi coast, in a picturesque fishermen’s village. here this colatura sauce and other fish-based dishes have always been at the centre of life, animating the village streets and yards. But what is colatura di alici and how do you make it? This sauce is made by letting anchovies mature in salt, following an ancient recipe. In Cetara anchovies are fished between the end of March and the beginning of July with a special fishing boat called ciancola. Afterwards the heads and the guts of the fish are removed and the anchovies are packed in salt. The last step of the process to obtain the colatura sauce is alternating layers of anchovies and salt in little wooden barrels called terzigni. Inside these barrels, this amazing liquid surfaces little by little. Such a brief description does not do justice to the craftsmanship needed to master this process. One thing is sure: the colatura di alici from Cetara is both a simple product - because it is made with very few ingredients, and a complex product, because it is deeply intertwined with local tradition. Acquapazza Gourmet is an artisanal company that produces small precious quantities of colatura sauce, always respecting the time needed for the product to mature. The Acquapazza Gourmet colatura di alici ages in chestnut barrels and is only made with anchovies fished in the Gulf of Salerno. It is delicious with: Pasta from Gragnano Risotto Salads