Agostino Recca Salted Whole Anchovies, 800g

First of all, let's get this straight - these are SALT-PACKED WHOLE ANCHOVIES - exactly as the name says, these are anchovies packed in salt. They are whole (except for the head and guts) - which means that they have bones and skin. They are packed in salt - if you try to eat them straight out of the plastic tub, it's going to be like sucking on a salt-shaker. A salt-shaker with bones. But, if you take the time to prepare them, they add tons and tons of flavor to what you may be cooking. What I like to do is take an anchovy out of the tub (the resealable plastic tub is far better than the metal can that they used to come in), scraping off and leaving in the tub as much salt as I can. Then, under cold running water, I strip the filets off by running my thumbnail down the spine from the neck opening to the tail. Rinse each filet, and they're ready to use. Some people/recipes will soak the filets in oil, water, milk to reduce the saltiness and fishiness even further, but I usually just use them as-is. Wonderful cooked into a pasta sauce (saute in olive oil until they fall apart), put on pizza, added to a caesar salad dressing, or even on cold thickly buttered toast. Yum! The only brand that I've been able to find locally after much searching is this Agostino Recca brand, and they've always been delicious. These from Amazon are no exception!

This is no longer a reliable product. The anchovies are packed in salt. The first can ordered many years ago was packed in solid crystalline salt. Delicious, and stable in salt in the refrigerator for years. The second can found the fish to be swimming in a brine solution, disintegrating and inedible. The third can, ordered in hope that this was a one-off problem, and in happy memory of the first can from years ago, arrived with fish swimming in a soupy salt solution. Not so bad as can two, but hardly edible. At $20 per can my interest in continuing to gamble is gone.

If you are willing to get involved in your food these are wonderful. Yes, they take some prep work, but they more than reward the extra effort. Very tasty and a noticeable improvement in flavor over the typical fillets in jars. Wonderful full rich and deep flavor without any objectionable fishiness. I just remove the contents of the can and put them into a glass container and store in the refrigerator. Every week or two I'll take two or three layers of anchovies out of that container and prepare them by rinsing, cleaning and filleting (sounds like more work than it is). The prepared fillets go into another glass container in the refrigerator covered in olive oil until needed. Real food that is real good. Glad to have found these and tried them. Have reordered and am working through my second can now. 7/14/2017 update: Just placed an order for two more cans. Nice quantity discount on something that i enjoy using often.

These are amazing!!! I've been eating anchovies all my life, but decided to try these after I watched America's Test Kitchens reviewing different anchovies. These did not disappoint! I don't write reviews too often, but thought I really should this time. They are some of the most flavorful anchovies I've ever eaten.

I ordered this item twice within two week the first order was a 5 stars they where nice and large and great so I ordered a second order for an italian aunt of mine- what she recieved was a 1 star all the Ancovies were half the size- I had to bring my order over to show her I ordered the same Anchovies from the same Amazon company - I am now looking for a different company to order Salted Whole Anchovies from- any feed back would be helpful- Thank You

Fine product. Excellent taste. You haven’t know how to clean and prepare them. Top quality.

This item does not come in a tin can as shown online. It was in a plastic container that leaked through the lightly plastic wrapping. The order was ship together with a pair of shoes. That box got a bit of the leakage from the anchovies. It was very smelly being anchovies.

usually this sealed container doesn't have a smell on this one I can smell the fish while it is still sealed I hope the seal isn't compromised