Rich, tender and intensely savoury, these traditional L’Escala anchovy fillets have the beautifully balanced saltiness that makes a good anchovy so versatile. Carefully matured before being cleaned and filleted, they have a soft, almost silky texture and concentrated umami flavour, with the olive oil rounding everything out. The result is an anchovy that is equally at home as the star of a tapa or quietly working its magic through a dish.
Serve simply over toasted bread with ripe tomato and a drizzle of olive oil, or use them to lift salads, pasta, pizza and grilled vegetables. They’re also excellent with a good tomato salad or folded through warm potatoes.
Pair with a dry Manzanilla Sherry; alternatively, an Australian Pinot Gris makes a lovely match.
About L’Escala / Anxoves de l’Escala
L’Escala, on Catalonia’s Costa Brava, has an anchovy tradition stretching back centuries, with the town’s reputation built around the careful salting and preservation of Mediterranean blue fish. The tradition is so closely tied to the town that local records from the 18th century already describe L’Escala as an established centre for anchovy fishing and trade.
Anxoves de l’Escala – M. Sureda has been specialising in preserved fish since 1940, using traditional knowledge passed down through generations. Their anchovies are selected carefully and matured naturally before being cleaned and prepared by hand, while the company’s modern facilities allow that traditional craftsmanship to continue at a larger scale. The business also pays particular attention to the role of the local Dones Anxoveres; the women of L’Escala who have traditionally been responsible for the delicate work of preparing, filleting and packing the anchovies.
