The market · Seasonings and ferments · Southern Europe

Colatura

Colatura di alici: the clear, amber liquid that drips from barrels of salted anchovies on the Amalfi coast, most famously at Cetara. Cleaner and more refined than Southeast Asian fish sauce.

briny · clean · deeply savoury

What to do with it

Kenji Hara's Sourdough, 100% ryeColatura would give it depthIbu Sari's Beef rendangColatura would give it depthAna Etxarri's ChawanmushiColatura would season itRosa Ibarra's Clarified milk punch, mezcal and pineappleColatura would give it depth

If you can't find it

Italian delis, as colatura di alici.

  1. 1Fish sauce
    The same — they're cousins
    You lose very little.

Goes with

spaghettigarlicchilliparsley

Knowing it

Where to buy
Italian delis, in small bottles; it's dear, but a bottle lasts.
A little history
Cetara's producers trace it to Roman garum, through medieval monks who salted anchovies there.
Worth knowing
Don't cook it. For spaghetti with garlic, chilli and parsley, add a teaspoon a portion off the heat — and go easy on salt in the pasta water.

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