Parma anchovies
Despite being far from the sea, Parma boasts one of Italy's most important anchovy industries. This unique concentration of activity emerged in the late 19th century, thanks to the remarkable development of food preservation and packaging technologies and the city's strategic location on the rail and road network, along the historic Via del Sale.
The companies in the Parma supply chain work exclusively with Engraulis encrasicolus, the most prized species, which is caught from March to October only on moonless nights, using the traditional "lampara" method and hoop nets (not trawls) that respect the seabed.
Even today, the processing is entirely manual and relies on expert know-how, honed over time. Fresh anchovies are hand-picked (that is, the head and viscera are removed in a single, skillful movement) and arranged in alternating layers with sea salt in drums, where they mature for four to six months. They are then washed and filleted. At that point, again by hand, the fillets are ready to be packaged in a variety of ways: arranged in cans, trays, or glass jars; laid out or rolled up, perhaps around a caper; preserved in oil or in a spicy sauce; as is or flavored with herbs or chili pepper. Anchovies are a highly versatile specialty. They are used to complement and enrich delicious recipes, but they are also delicious on their own, on a simple crostini spread with a light layer of butter.
Ingredients for 4 people 12 Delicius Canale di Sicilia anchovy fillets 100 g of chopped pistachios 300 g of well-drained sheep's ricotta a few sprigs of thyme half an untreated lemon white pepper.
Directions: Place the ricotta on a plate. Finely grate the lemon zest over it. Add a pinch of ground white pepper and the fresh thyme leaves. Mix the ricotta with a fork and, with damp hands, shape it into 12 truffles. Roll them in the chopped pistachios and refrigerate for 3 minutes. Roll an anchovy around a toothpick, insert the toothpick into each truffle, and serve.
Ingredients for 4 people 500 ml of tomato sauce 8 anchovies in Rizzoli spicy sauce 3 aubergines, 1 burrata.
Directions: Slice the eggplant, grill it, and season with oil and salt. Heat the tomato sauce with Rizzoli's secret sauce, oil, and a pinch of salt for 10-12 minutes over low heat. Slice the burrata. Alternate the eggplant with the tomato sauce, burrata, and anchovies in spicy sauce.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 300 g of new potatoes 4 Zarotti anchovies 1 tablespoon of olive oil paprika green sauce fennel fresh parsley salt to taste
Method: Boil the potatoes until cooked. Peel them and mash them. Add a pinch of salt, oil, and chopped fennel/parsley. Mix well until smooth. Form small towers, top with a couple of tablespoons of salsa verde and the anchovies. Sprinkle with paprika.