History

The Cantabrian anchovy (engraulis encrasicolus) has anchored the Basque fishing industry from the 19th-century Bermeo and Getaria salting houses through the modern brine industry of Santona. The vinegar-cured version (boqueron) and the salt-cured version (anchoa) became the canonical pintxo bases in the 1940s, with Casa Vallés-style gildas using the cured fillets. Bar Txepetxa on Pescaderia in San Sebastian has cured white anchovies by a guarded family recipe since 1972, served on toasted bread with a dozen topping options. The Getaria boats land the anchovy fleet from April through July; the brine production runs year-round.

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Common allergens: Fish

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 15 minTotal 24 hr 15 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 16 very fresh whole anchovies (or 32 fillets)
  • 200ml Spanish wine vinegar
  • 100ml water
  • Sea salt
  • 100ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
  • Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 4 thick slices toasted baguette

Method

  1. Gut the anchovies and remove the heads; rinse under cold water. Slide a thumb along the backbone and lift it out; you now have butterflied fillets.
  2. Place the fillets skin-side down in a shallow dish.
  3. Cover with the vinegar, water and a tablespoon of salt. Marinate in the fridge 4 to 6 hours until the flesh turns opaque white.
  4. Drain and rinse the fillets; pat dry.
  5. Layer the fillets in a clean dish with the olive oil, garlic and parsley. Marinate at least 12 hours.
  6. To serve: toast the bread, top each slice with two anchovies, drizzle with the marinade oil and add a curl of pickled red pepper.

Tip from the editors. Anchovies must be very fresh, ideally caught the same day. Freeze for 48 hours first to neutralise parasite risk (a legal requirement for raw fish in Spain).

Where to eat anchoa fresca (cantabrian anchovy)

Anchoa fresca (Cantabrian anchovy) in San Sebastián

Bar Txepetxa ★ 4.5

€ Seafood

Bar Txepetxa on Pescaderia in San Sebastian sells the vinegar-cured anchovy pintxo from 3 euros, the seafood-counter budget order with a Txakoli for under 6.

TryAnchoa a la jardinera pintxo with Txakoli

TipTwo anchoas with a Txakoli for under 8 euros. Counter standing only.

Directions

Antonio Bar ★ 4.6

€€ Spanish tapas

Antonio Bar on Bergara Kalea in San Sebastian's Centro skips the Old Town queues and pours the city's best tortilla and a canonical gilda at the counter.

Why locals goCentro neighbourhood counter the Old Town queues skip, with the city's best tortilla and a canonical gilda.

TipTortilla finishes by 14:30; arrive earlier on weekends Word-of-mouth is the only marketing.

Directions

Bar Sport ★ 4.3

€€ BasqueUntil Mon-Sun 24:00

Bar Sport on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian's Old Town runs the foie-and-txipiron pintxo counter daily until midnight, the late-evening reliable.

TryFoie a la plancha and txipiron stuffed with crab

TipCounter standing only; weekends from 11:00.

Directions

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