Whether you call them anchovies or anchovies, they are the same thing. It is a fish species belonging to the category of the highly valued oily fish, widespread throughout the Mediterranean and here in Liguria particularly.

The most profitable time for fishing for anchovies is from April to November, which coincides with the window of time when they spawn and thus approach the coast at shallower depths. The tastiest ones, in any case, can be eaten from April to June, which is before they spawn.

Anchovies are beautiful, with spectacular colors. They have a slender , tapered body reaching up to 20 cm in length, with the back traversed by a blue stripe with shades turning to green, while the sides and belly are silvery.

When buying them, pay close attention to the color, which should be bright, with the eye turgid and the pupil black and without redness, and with the gills tending to red or pinkish in color. The scent should be pleasant.

The cleaning operation is quite simple:

• Detach the head at the level of the gills.
• Pull gently so that the innards also come out
• Peel off the center bone, opening it to the book and leaving the tail attached
• Rinse under running water and dry with paper towels.

From a dietary point of view, anchovy is a fairly digestible and semi-fatty fish, although in some months the fat content is higher.

According to the National Institute of Nutrition 100 grams of edible part (meat) of fresh anchovies contain:

16.8 g protein, 1.51 g carbohydrates and low in fat (2.6 g), high in vitamins and minerals: vitamin A (100 IU), B complex (B1: 80 and B2: 210 mcg), Calcium (148 mg); Iron (2.8 mg) and Phosphorus (196 mg)

Anchovies from our Ligurian Sea are very tasty, and in addition to eating them fresh, it is typical of our area to preserve them in salt.

They lend themselves to numerous tasty regional recipes, such as anchovy Bagnun, originally from Riva Trigoso, in the Riviera Ligure di Levante, or Pizza Sardenea, from the Imperiese area of the Riviera Ligure di Ponente.

We have already tried them in combination with our Pesto Fresco alla Genovese with a much appreciated result. Would you like The recipe? We will publish it soon!

Keep following us!