Colatura di Alici from IASA
Ittica Alimentare Salerno (IASA)
Anchovy Syrup from Italy
One of the treasured ingredients of the region of Naples is colatura di alici. The deep brown elixir is extracted during the anchovy curing process taking five months to produce. Rich with the flavors of the sea and the anchovy flavor, colatura dates back to ancient Rome. Until recently this ingredient was rarely found in the United States. In fact, the production of this incredible liquid has dwindled enough that Slow Food International has declared their protection of this ancient ingredient.
Pasta has never met a nicer friend than colatura. The most simple dish involves spaghetti, chili flakes, olive oil and a dash of colatura. But you can add lots of twists to this simple recipe - lemon zest, toasted breadcrumbs, parsley.
Another dish calls for orecchiette, cauliflower, raisins and pinenuts, all tossed with extra virgin olive oil and colatura. Green vegetables also play nicely with colatura - broccoli, green beans, and leafy greens love the briny, fishy flavor.
Featured in these recipes:
Colatura di Alici from IASA
Discovered this tasty meat flavor enhancer sauce the very first time I shopped at Market Hall and it is the bomb! Just a drop or two on finished meats really adds such depth of flavor. Try it! Don't be afraid of the anchovies, there not visible. Haha.
An essential ingredient when making pasta with clam sauce or (if you are well heeled) bottarga. A drop or two will take your Bloody Mary to the next level! The colatura is so intense that a small bottle will last for months.
Initially I thought of this as a specialized product but then realized, it's salty, it's umami, its a flavor enhancer. Use this instead of soy sauce, to create 'vegetarian' beef broth, to enhance soups, stews, braises, sauces. It's a super versatile product.
Some folks love anchovies, some folks hate 'em. If you love anchovies, you gotta have this. Toss a bit of colatura in a bowl of spaghetti, drizzle with some very fresh and fruity olive oil - olio nuovo does the trick - and sprinkle with freshly ground mixed peppercorns and a squeeze of lemon. Pour a glass of chilled Soave. Die and go to heaven.