Quick summary: A good Cantabrian anchovy can stand alone with a piece of bread and butter, but it's also the ingredient that elevates a dish when used wisely. In this compilation, you'll find 12 recipes ranging from a 3-minute appetizer to a Sunday main course: buttered toast, homemade gilda, tomato salad, anchovy spaghetti, compound butter, and seven more. Designed for size 0 or 00 anchovies, hand-filleted. I've made all of these at home for years.
1. Anchovy and butter toast — the classic
Time: 3 minutes. Serves 2.
The simplest recipe in the world and the one that best measures the quality of the anchovy. If the anchovy isn't up to par, the dish fails because there's nowhere to hide it.
- 4 slices of quality rustic bread (ciabatta, country bread), 1.5 cm thick
- 30 g salted butter (French Beurre d'Isigny or Maître Lefèbre)
- 8 drained Cantabrian anchovy fillets, size 00
- Freshly ground black pepper
Steps: Lightly toast the bread (warm, not crispy). Spread generously with butter. Place 2 anchovy fillets criss-crossed. A grind of pepper. Eat immediately, no fuss.
2. Traditional homemade gilda
Time: 5 minutes. For 4 gildas.
The gilda is the quintessential Basque appetizer: anchovy, chili pepper, and olive skewered on a toothpick. Named after Rita Hayworth's film: "green, salty, and a little spicy."
- 4 Cantabrian anchovy fillets, size 0
- 8 piparras chili peppers (Coquet's tart ones are the benchmark)
- 4 pitted Manzanilla olives
- 4 long wooden toothpicks
Steps: Roll the anchovy fillet into a spiral. Skewer on the toothpick, alternating chili pepper, rolled anchovy, olive, chili pepper. Rest for 30 min in olive oil if you like. Eat in one whole bite.
Bacalalo Handmade Gildas
If you don't want to assemble them, we make them handmade with Cantabrian anchovy, chili pepper, and olive. €9.90.
3. Tomato salad with anchovy and EVOO
Time: 5 minutes. Serves 4.
- 2 ripe tomatoes, such as raf or beefsteak
- 8 Cantabrian anchovy fillets, size 0
- 4 tablespoons Arbequina or Picual EVOO
- Flake salt, pepper, fresh oregano
Steps: Wash and slice the tomatoes into 1 cm rounds. Arrange them on a plate. Place an anchovy fillet on top of each slice. Dress generously with EVOO. Flake salt, ground pepper, and oregano over the top. Serve at room temperature.
4. Anchovy butter (compound)
Time: 10 minutes + 2 hours resting. Yields 250 g.
- 250 g salted butter at room temperature
- 50 g drained anchovy fillets (you can use size 1 or 2)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Optional: 1 finely minced garlic clove
Steps: Mince the anchovies very finely. Mix with the softened butter until completely incorporated. Add lemon, pepper, and garlic if desired. Form into a roll with plastic wrap, seal the ends, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Keeps for 1 week. Excellent for spreading on bread, melting over grilled meat, or roasted potatoes.
5. Anchovy spaghetti with garlic and chili
Time: 15 minutes. Serves 2.
- 200 g spaghetti
- 6 Cantabrian anchovy fillets, size 1
- 3 sliced garlic cloves
- 1 small dried chili pepper
- 4 tablespoons EVOO
- Chopped fresh parsley
Steps: Cook pasta al dente in salted water. Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat EVOO over medium-low heat. Add sliced garlic and chili pepper, let them lightly brown. Add the anchovies and mash them with a spatula until they melt into the oil (1-2 min). Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking water. Mix the pasta in the pan with the anchovies, add a little cooking water if needed. Finish with parsley. No extra salt needed — anchovies provide it.
6. Honest Caesar salad with real anchovies
Time: 15 minutes. Serves 4.
The original Caesar salad used real anchovies in the dressing, not anchovy paste from a jar. Let's bring back the dignified version.
- 2 heads of romaine lettuce
- 100 g Parmesan cheese, shaved
- 2 slices of stale bread for croutons
- For the dressing: 4 anchovy fillets, 1 egg yolk, 1 garlic clove, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 100 ml EVOO, juice of half a lemon, 30 g grated Parmesan cheese, pepper
Steps: Toast bread cubes in a pan with EVOO and garlic. In a bowl, mash the anchovies with the yolk, garlic, and mustard. Gradually emulsify with the EVOO like mayonnaise. Add lemon, grated Parmesan, pepper. Let rest for 10 min. Tear the romaine, mix with croutons and Parmesan shavings. Dress just before serving.
7. Piquillo peppers stuffed with cod and anchovy
Time: 30 minutes. Serves 4.
- 16 roasted piquillo peppers from a can
- 250 g flaked desalted cod
- 8 chopped anchovy fillets
- 1 small finely chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons light béchamel sauce
- EVOO, salt, pepper
Steps: Sauté the onion in EVOO until translucent. Add the flaked cod and sauté for 3 min. Incorporate the chopped anchovies, mix. Add the béchamel to bind. Pepper (no salt, anchovies provide it). Let cool slightly. Carefully stuff each pepper. Place on a baking tray with a little EVOO over the top. Oven 180°C (350°F), 8 min. Serve hot with chopped parsley.
8. Endives with anchovy, blue cheese, and walnuts
Time: 10 minutes. Serves 4.
- 3 endives
- 12 anchovy fillets, size 0
- 100 g blue cheese (Cabrales, Roquefort, or Gorgonzola)
- 50 g toasted chopped walnuts
- EVOO, Modena vinegar, pepper
Steps: Separate the endive leaves. Place an anchovy fillet, a pinch of blue cheese, and some walnuts on each leaf. Drizzle with a little EVOO and a few drops of balsamic vinegar. Pepper to taste. An elegant 10-minute appetizer.
9. Roman pizza with anchovy, capers, and mozzarella
Time: 30 minutes (with pre-made dough). 1 large pizza.
- 1 Roman-style pizza base (thin)
- 200 g natural crushed tomatoes
- 200 g fior di latte mozzarella
- 8 anchovy fillets, size 1
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1 tablespoon black olives
- Oregano, EVOO
Steps: Roll out the base. Cover with a thin layer of tomato, salt, oregano. Distribute the chopped mozzarella. Bake at 250°C (as hot as your oven goes) for 7-8 min. Take it out and, while the pizza is hot, arrange the anchovies, capers, and olives. Return to the oven for 1 minute to heat (no longer). Drizzle with EVOO at the end. The anchovies are added at the end so they don't dry out.
10. Roasted potatoes with anchovy butter
Time: 60 minutes. Serves 4.
- 800 g medium Monalisa or Kennebec potatoes
- 100 g anchovy butter (see recipe 4)
- Flake salt, fresh rosemary, pepper
Steps: Wash the potatoes (with skin), cut them in half. Place on a baking tray with EVOO, salt, and rosemary. Roast at 200°C (390°F) for 45-55 min until tender and golden. Take them out, place a spoonful of anchovy butter on each hot potato half to melt. Pepper and serve immediately.
11. Tomato tartare with anchovy
Time: 15 minutes. Serves 4.
- 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled, deseeded, and diced small
- 6 chopped anchovy fillets
- 1 finely chopped spring onion
- 1 tablespoon chopped capers
- EVOO, Sherry vinegar, pepper
- Toasted bread slices
Steps: Mix everything in a bowl. Chill for 15 min in the refrigerator to allow flavors to meld. Serve on toasted bread slices. A fresh summer appetizer that combines the best of ripe tomatoes with the umami power of anchovies.
12. Puttanesca sauce for pasta or fish
Time: 20 minutes. Serves 4.
- 400 g quality crushed tomatoes
- 8 anchovy fillets
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 100 g pitted and chopped Kalamata olives
- 1 dried chili pepper
- EVOO, parsley, oregano
Steps: In a pan with EVOO, brown garlic and chili pepper. Add anchovies and mash them. Incorporate tomatoes, capers, and olives. Cook for 10-12 min over medium heat until reduced. Pepper and oregano. Serve over spaghetti or as an accompaniment to grilled white fish (hake, cod).
General tips for cooking with anchovies
- Never add salt when using anchovies. The product is already sufficiently salty.
- If the recipe involves heat, use size 1 or 2. Premium ones lose their charm.
- If the recipe is cold, use size 0 or 00. The fillet is appreciated.
- The oil from the can is valuable. If it's EVOO, use it to finish the dish.
- Anchovies melt over low heat. If you burn them, they taste metallic.
- Pair with: dry white wine, Txakoli, Manzanilla, Fino. Red wine only if it's light.
Anchovy Menu — 45 fillets
Family size intended for those who cook with anchovies frequently. Size 1, ideal for the hot recipes in this post. €26.95.
Frequently asked questions
What size anchovy should I use for a hot recipe?
Size 1 or 2. Premium size 00 loses its texture and aromas when cooked — it wastes your product. For gildas, cold toasts, and tartare, use size 0 or 00. For stir-fries, pizzas, pastas, and sauces, use size 1 or 2.
Can anchovy butter be frozen?
Yes. Form into rolls with plastic wrap, wrap in foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Cut portions as needed when you plan to use it.
Do anchovies cause allergic reactions?
They can. They are oily fish rich in histamine and can sometimes contain trace amounts of gluten in some brands. If you have an allergy to oily fish, avoid them. If you have histamine intolerance, consume in moderation. Premium anchovies are usually hypoallergenic within their category.
How many anchovies per person for an appetizer?
2 to 4 fillets per person for an appetizer. If anchovy is the star (buttered toast), 2 fillets per toast. If it's an ingredient among others (gilda, salad), 1 fillet per piece.
Cantabrian anchovy with wine or beer?
Both work. With beer: light lager, pilsner, or white beer. With wine: Txakoli, Albariño, Manzanilla, Fino. The trick is not to use powerful red wines — they overpower the umami of the anchovy.
Is French butter necessary for the toast?
No, but it helps. French salted butter has a higher fat content (82%+) which provides creaminess. Spanish butters like Pascual or Asturiana also work. The important thing is that it's salted and at room temperature.
Can Cantabrian anchovy be fried?
Poor use of the product. Salt-cured anchovy should not be fried — it would lose all its aroma and texture. If you want fried anchovy, use fresh breaded boquerones. It's a different product.
How to store anchovies after opening the can?
Transfer the remaining fillets to a closed glass container. Cover completely with EVOO. Refrigerate. Consume within 3-4 weeks. Never leave the metal can open — the metal oxidizes the fillets.
Conclusion
Cantabrian anchovy is one of the few ingredients you can use every day without getting tired of it: as an appetizer, main course, sauce, preserved, or simply as an accompaniment to good bread. Adapt the size to the recipe and respect the two golden rules: do not salt and do not burn. With that, you won't fail.
— Maria José Sáez Pastor
Cook of Catalan and Cantabrian tradition. Has been cooking with Cantabrian anchovy since her mother's kitchen.
