Fresh Anchovy Antipasto, or Acciughe Fresche per 20 Giorni: This is a classic antipasto; the Italian title suggests that the anchovies will keep for as long as 20 days, but in my experience they will be gone long before then.
Ingredients:
- Fresh anchovies
- Kosher salt
- White wine vinegar
- A medium onion
- Olive oil
Preparation:
You'll need fresh anchovies (not sardines). Remove their heads and clean them. Then pack them in a jar, interlayering them with coarse sea salt (or kosher salt). Put them in the refrigerator and leave them there for 12 hours. Then remove the anchovies, rinse them well and pat them dry, and return them to the jar, filling it this time with white wine vinegar. Return the jar to the refrigerator for another 12 hours. Next, finely slice 2-3 onions, put them in a jar, fill it with vinegar, and chill it too for 12 hours. At this point, drain the anchovies and onions well, put them in a clean jar, and fill the jar with olive oil. They're ready for use as an antipasto, served cool with freshly boiled cannellini (white) beans, and will keep for about 2 weeks.
