Returning from two weeks in northwestern Italy, I was struck how often I saw anchovies and butter on menus, first in Turin then elsewhere in Piedmont and later Liguria. A composition that always includes bread, sometimes toasted, might initially seem odd to most American diners. But the combination of salty, maybe slightly oily anchovy filets and rich, soft cultured butter along with a base of bread for works very well and makes for an excellent initial bite when dining out. It’s also an item that used to be seen fairly often on Italian menus of old in this country, part of the outsize legacy of immigrant restaurateurs from Piedmont many decades ago.
Though not near the ocean, Piedmont has a long culinary tradition with preserved anchovies from trade with nearby Liguria. It’s also got more cows than most other regions in Italy and long influence from butter-loving France just across the Alps.
My first experience with it on this trip was during lunch at Campamac, an ambitious, Michelin-cited restaurant in the village of Barbaresco. It arrived dramatically as an amuse bouche on three separate plates: oil-cured anchovies from Liguria, softened butter already portioned and a thick slice of slightly brown, rustic, freshly made sourdough bread. It made for a delicious couple of bites and start to the meal. A few days later at the excellent, casual Manuelina Bistrot in coastal Recco, I ordered the Pane, burro d'Isigny e acciughe salate del cantabrico for 10 euros – under the heading “Per Iniziare,” to start – sourcing widely to feature the lauded, creamy, rich butter, whipped, from Normandy and artisanal, salt-cured Spanish anchovy filets atop a thick, cracker-like toasted bread. A little different, with a more softened, lighter butter and more contrasting texture, I really enjoyed it also, a terrific preface to the rest of the meal.
This is a simple dish that I wish would make a return to menus here. Only three ingredients, but which need to be of high quality for it to work. It’s something easy to do at home, too, well-suited for entertaining guests as appetizers who might be at least somewhat open-minded.
Though not near the ocean, Piedmont has a long culinary tradition with preserved anchovies from trade with nearby Liguria. It’s also got more cows than most other regions in Italy and long influence from butter-loving France just across the Alps.
My first experience with it on this trip was during lunch at Campamac, an ambitious, Michelin-cited restaurant in the village of Barbaresco. It arrived dramatically as an amuse bouche on three separate plates: oil-cured anchovies from Liguria, softened butter already portioned and a thick slice of slightly brown, rustic, freshly made sourdough bread. It made for a delicious couple of bites and start to the meal. A few days later at the excellent, casual Manuelina Bistrot in coastal Recco, I ordered the Pane, burro d'Isigny e acciughe salate del cantabrico for 10 euros – under the heading “Per Iniziare,” to start – sourcing widely to feature the lauded, creamy, rich butter, whipped, from Normandy and artisanal, salt-cured Spanish anchovy filets atop a thick, cracker-like toasted bread. A little different, with a more softened, lighter butter and more contrasting texture, I really enjoyed it also, a terrific preface to the rest of the meal.
This is a simple dish that I wish would make a return to menus here. Only three ingredients, but which need to be of high quality for it to work. It’s something easy to do at home, too, well-suited for entertaining guests as appetizers who might be at least somewhat open-minded.
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