Colatura di Alici originated in the small fishing town of Cetara in Campania. This liquid sauce originated from garum, used in Roman times as a dressing for all their food. The Roman garum was created by fermenting various types of fish together and then straining off the liquid to use as a flavouring.
Colatura di Alici is made today using just anchovies that are kept in salt inside wooden barrels for forty days. The juice, or colatura, is then strained off and used to dress hot pasta along with garlic, olive oil, and a little lemon juice.
Pasta with Colatura di Alici – Italian Anchovy Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 4 Tablespoons Colatura di Alici
- 2 Garlic Cloves Minced
- Red Pepper Flakes Optional – See Notes Above
- 6 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley Leaves
- ¾ Pound Spaghetti
- ½ Cup Toasted Fresh Homemade Breadcrumbs Optional
- Zest of 1 Lemon
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
- Cook the pasta until it is “al dente”.
- While the pasta is cooking, mix together the oil, colatura, garlic, red pepper flakes, and parsley in a small bowl.
- Drain the pasta, then toss the hot pasta with the sauce and lemon zest until the pasta strands are well coated.
- Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs if using.
- Serve immediately.