Salt-packed anchovies
Salt-packed anchovies, or acciughe sotto sale, are anchovies preserved with salt. Prepare the fillets by rinsing away excess salt and removing the central backbone before cooking.
Photograph · Acciughe sotto sale
- Italian name
- Acciughe sotto sale
- Preserved form
- Salt-packed anchovies
- Piedmontese sauce
- Bagna cauda
Salting and maturation
The Regione Campania description explains that anchovies are salted, cleaned, salted again and pressed under weights before maturation. This is a salt-preserved form; oil-packed fillets and anchovy paste are separate pantry products.
In bagna cauda
In the regional recipe for bagna cauda, the prepared anchovy fillets cook gently with garlic, butter and extra-virgin olive oil until they dissolve. Our suggestion: serve the warm sauce with raw red and yellow peppers.
Cook with it
Follow the product’s storage label
Follow the package instructions before and after opening, including refrigeration when required. Storage conditions vary by product. Preparing the fillets for cooking does not establish how long they will keep.
Questions worth asking
How are whole salt-packed anchovies prepared for a sauce?
Producer guidance calls for rinsing with water and removing the central backbone. The cleaned fillets can then be cooked for sauces. Follow the package instructions for the product you buy.
Are these the same as anchovies in oil?
No. This entry is for anchovies preserved under salt. Oil-packed fillets are a different preserved form; the cited regional bagna cauda specifies salt-packed anchovies.
Does rinsing for cooking change the storage instructions?
Rinsing and removing the backbone prepare the anchovy fillets for use. Storage instructions describe the salt-preserved product in its packaging; follow that product’s label rather than applying its shelf-life statement to cleaned fillets.
