Description
This Colatura di Alici (anchovy sauce) from Cetara on the Amalfi Coast is an explosion of taste, an amber liquid with the scent of sea and traditions. The Colatura di Alici Anchovy Sauce from Aqua Pazza is an ancient delicacy that adds great anchovy flavour to a dish without having to fillet, rinse and chop the fish.
The preparation of Acquapazza’s Colatura is simple and natural but follows strict rules that begin with fishing for the best anchovies in the Gulf of Salerno from March to July. The fish are caught, placed in wooden barrels called terzigni, alternating layers with handfuls of sea salt. Then the fish are pressed down with a lid and big rocks. By December after six months, the anchovies have produced a fragrant translucent liquid with an amber hue.
Such a brief description does not do justice to the craftsmanship needed to master this process. What is certain is that 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.
Colatura can also be used to flavour fish, vegetables and pulses instead of salt.