Nettuno Colatura Anchovy Sauce – Cetara, Campania, Italy - 3.3 oz

Most Colatura di Alici is little more than insipid salt broth with less character than a cheap bottle of Vietnamese fish sauce. It’s so easy to get swindled purchasing these adorable little colorfully-labeled bottles of expensive elixir -- especially since there is a LOT of profit to be made exploiting consumers’ ignorance of the product. This review will tell you what you need to know. Let’s start with perfection and then work backward to show you how some manufacturers corrupt it into a lesser product with a higher profit margin. The highest quality colatura di alici uses only fresh-caught anchovies that are individually beheaded and eviscerated by hand without damaging the skin or flesh, carefully layered inside a small wood barrel in a cross-stack pattern with just the right amount of good-quality sea salt between each layer, and carefully weighted using a tamper that leaves the edges open to the air. This barrel is then placed in a temperature- and humidity-controlled room to age for many months, during which time the clean flesh of the anchovy is transformed by the mineral-rich sea salt into an umami factory from which precious colatura leaches out into the surrounding salt. The precise stacking pattern of the fish and salt in the barrel creates a natural filter through which gravity pulls the colatura until it reaches the bottom. Once there, it ages slowly for about a year to a year and a half. Then a tiny hole is made in the bottom of the barrel and the aged colatura slowly drips into a glass jar. Because of the gentle manufacturing, filtering, and aging processes it is not over-saturated with salt, therefore no salt precipitates out into the liquid and no residual salt can enter the collection jar. This is perfected colatura di alici -- the naturally-leaked extract of anchovies. By contrast, the lowest quality colatura dumps massive quantities of whole anchovies -- heads and guts intact -- into huge mixers that churn it together with 50-pound bags of salt and some water to accelerate the process, and then dump the whole mess into massive containers of concrete or stainless steel. They let this sit for a few weeks at whatever temperature the season provides, and then they process the product by combining whatever runs off from the solids with a lot of extra water and shovelfuls of the now-pinkish salt from the container. The finished product has so much extra salt in it that it precipitates out into the bottle. And while the finished product tastes like it was derived, after a fashion, from anchovies, it is a flat, single-note flavor profile with very little complexity and so much salinity that the salt is all you will think about. This is low-quality colatura di alici -- the over-salted, watered-down forced extract of anchovies, their bitter gills, and the acrid fecal waste stored in their intestines. Most colatura di alici falls somewhere between these two extremes. The difference in the finished dish of food is remarkable, and instantly tells you that the additional money you spent on the top quality stuff was more than worth it -- especially if, like me, you’ve tried a few of them side by side, both by themselves and in expertly-prepared cuisine. The winner, hands down, was Nettuno. I had already seen their entire production process on video (go to their website and see for yourself) after I had researched colatura di alici in general, and was impressed with the old-world handcrafting and attention to each individual fish of the millions they process each year. My first side-by-side comparison was Nettuno against Sapori Di Mare. I bought the Sapori product from another vendor for $17.98 (includes shipping), and I bought the Nettuno product from Amazon for $32.25 (includes shipping). The difference in price for the Nettuno was 1.8 times that for the Sapori, but the difference in flavor was infinitely more than that. So much so that it provoked a “Wow!” from me. I don’t feel like I wasted my money on the Sapori product, but I will not be purchasing it again because the Nettuno is such better flavor and complexity. The Sapori product had two indications that it was not as high a quality product as the Nettuno: precipitated salt (a lot of it) and “water” in the list of ingredients. Both of these were readily apparent the moment I followed up a taste of a few drops of the Sapori with an equal amount of the Nettuno. So that’s the story of why not all Colatura di Alici is the same, what to look for when judging the product, and a go-to brand choice (Nettuno) if you’re in a hurry and just want the best you’re most likely to get for under fifty bucks. I hope this helps. By the way, here’s a recipe of mine you may like: 1 egg yolk 1 teaspoon Colatura di Alici 1 teaspoon roasted garlic, mashed to a paste 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Half teaspoon aged balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon chopped Italian parsley Quarter cup (loose) grated Pecorino Romano Quarter teaspoon freshly and finely ground black pepper In a mixing bowl, stir the ingredients with a fork to combine. Boil 2 ounces of spaghetti or spaghettini (secco, not fresca) just to al dente and then immediately drain -- retaining a little of the cooking water back in the boiling pot -- and add the pasta to the mixing bowl containing the sauce ingredients. Using the same fork, swirl and toss the pasta in the sauce until it thickens and coats all the pasta. Add VERY LITTLE cooking water, if necessary, to thin it to a manageable consistency. Plate, and then scrape the remaining sauce from the mixing bowl over the pasta. Grate over some additional Pecorino Romano and then serve immediately.

Excellent to have in the pantry for sauces, soups, and dressings to add umami and an extra depth of flavor. Recommended for home chefs as part of your flavor arsenal.

Amazing, high quality product with great flavor. This is my second time purchasing. It takes me back to the Amalfi coast every time I cook with it! The bottle also came with a sweet, handwritten note from the company.

Exactly what I was after. Not easy to find where I live. I even got my wife to try it (scared to death of anchovies) on some of her home made pasta. She loved it. The shipper included a hand written thank you note and for that reason alone, will definitely be getting my business again!

We purchased this Anchovy Sauce after viewing the YouTube documentary on the history and making of Nettuno Colatura Anchovy Sauce. In fact, we were so impressed with what we learned, we doubled our purchase and are not disappointed. Anchovy filets and paste are favorite ingredients in our kitchen and at table. As are Thai and Vietnamese fish sauces. Umami!!! Nettuno’s Colatura is a step up. Rich, subtle, salty sensuously delicious. Killer add to our pasta, salad, and crustini plates 🥰 The folks at Gustiamo, importers of this sauce from Nettuno, Cetara Italy, are family friendly and sent us our order quickly, well packed, and a sweet thank you note !!!

The product came perfectly packed. The company that makes the sauce has a website that describes the process of how it is made and how to use it. I have had anchovy sauce at fine italian restaurants, and love its extra kick. You can by olive oil for 10 dollars or for fifty dollars. I can taste the difference and I know when you should use a high quality olive oil. If you cannot, don't buy this product. If you do enjoy high quality olive oil, splurge on this sauce. You will be very pleased. The retailer is from the Bronx. In the sixties, I had the good fortune of going see the Yankees (including Mantle, Marris, Ford and Yogi). Support small business owners, like Gustiamo.

I have ordered this colatura several times: It is simply the best on the market today and straight from the Amalfi Coast. You can learn more about colatura and even get a couple of secret recipes from the seller's website (which I recommend)! Lastly, a word of praise about the seller themselves: they are just a great, humble and friendly company to work with. Their products are always genuine, always fresh and packed with care. Can't ask for much more these days. Give this sauce a shot and take a look at Gustiamo's website for some other awesome products!

I finally had the opportunity to try this and it will definitely become a staple in my pantry. I loved the flavor and texture in the pasta recipe I made. Also, appreciate the tag on the bottle with the information on how the sauce was created. This particular brand was recommended in the recipe and I would agree that it is worth trying and most likely keeping it in your kitchen for future recipes.