Summer is coming and we are always looking for flavors that can give us simplicity and freshness. To brighten up these hot days we have chosen the typical ingredients of two different regions that blend perfectly.

The taralli that come directly from Puglia, are still fragrant and delicious. At the beginning we had to resist the temptation to eat them like this, naturally, but immediately after the idea came: the right combination is with a raw material that comes from the sea of the Amalfi Coast and that we know very well: the Cetara anchovies.

They are a "jewel of the sea" with a strong taste that we want to enhance with a game of textures in this dish. The olive oil and the crunchiness of the tarallo create together with the sapidity of the anchovies a true explosion of Mediterranean flavors.

The queens of Cetara

In this period the fishermen of Cetara are in turmoil! The anchovies are fished between June and July because in these months they reach their maximum size and the least amount of fat. The delicacy of lean meat is the characteristic that differentiates it from the anchovies of the Adriatic and makes it a product of excellence.

The selection and salting of the anchovies follows a process that has been handed down for centuries.

Salting as a method of preservation dates back to the Ancient Middle Ages according to which the abundant quantity of anchovies fished during the spring and summer period could be preserved throughout the year.

Even today, the processing of anchovies is done in less than 24 hours from fishing. They are rinsed in purified sea water, drained and left to stand for a first salting, useful for letting all the internal liquids escape.

Later, through the process of "pitching", the head and innards are eliminated. Then we start with the real salting: the anchovies inserted in a cylindrical container are lightly pressed to remove all the excess water, preserving their body.

After maturing, which lasts about 6 months in the dark and takes place in cool places, the Cetara anchovies are ready to eat.

A fragrance that has lasted for centuries

The “Taralli Pugliesi” are a typical product with a centuries-old history that brings us back to the 1400s. They are born as a poor and simple food, prepared to fight hunger, in peasant houses with ingredients within the reach of housewives: flour, olive oil, water and salt. Over time many variations have been created with fennel seeds, anise, sugar, tomato extract or pieces of capocollo.

The preparation is very simple: to obtain real “Taralli Pugliesi”, sticks of 1 cm of diameter and 8 cm of length are to be obtained approximately from the drawing up; these will be closed in small rings with well overlapping ends.

The peculiarity of this product is the double cooking: the first one takes place in boiling water and oil until the taralli come back to life, and the second one in the oven until the pasta is golden brown.

This is the process that makes them good, crunchy and fragrant for centuries!

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 SERVINGS

320 g Antonio Amato Mezzi Vermicelli

6 taralli pugliesi or breadsticks

12 fillets salted anchovies

2 cloves garlic

basil to taste

salt to taste

Antonio Amato extra virgin olive oil to taste

DIRECTIONS

The preparation of this recipe is very simple. Let's start from the taralli: crumble them and lightly toast them in a pan to make them even more crispy.

Then, in another pan, brown the garlic with four anchovy fillets until they are dissolved. Remember to remove the excess salt from the anchovies and, at the end of cooking, the garlic cloves.

Meanwhile boil the water and lower the Antonio Amato Mezzi Vermicelli. Be careful not to salt the water too much, because most of the flavor of the dish will be given by the anchovies.

Drain the pasta al dente and dip it directly in the pan, making it risotto with a ladle of cooking water and the seasoning to make it complete cooking and absorb all the flavor.

Serve the pasta adding the remaining anchovy fillets, a few basil leaves and a nice sprinkling of crumbled tarallo to give the dish an extra touch.

This delicious recipe is ready in a moment, enjoy your meal!