For A Less Fishy Fish Sauce, Try The Italian Version

Picture fish sauce, and it's likely that Southeast Asian cuisine comes to mind. Indeed, the condiment is produced and readily used across the region of the world, especially in Thailand and Vietnam. However, you may be surprised that Italy's home to another version of the anchovy-based fermented sauce. Called colatura di alici, the condiment is an evolved reinvention of garum, which the Ancient Romans ate with everything.

Garum tasted bold, with a savory and salty flavor that didn't hide its fish-derived composition. The sauce was widely employed in many culinary contexts, perhaps as a cover up for low-quality food preservation. However, modern colatura di alici offers a flavor with much less pungency; it's actually a more mild alternative to fish sauce.

Due to a several-year long aging process in wooden barrels, colatura di alici tastes rich, salty, and sea-like in a balanced manner. Fishy notes aren't prominent, and the funk is controlled — the sauce doesn't burst out of the bottle. Instead, it's akin to a nice balsamic vinegar, adding a complex brightness in reserved fashion.

The most famous colatura di alici hails from Cetara, a small village on the picturesque Amalfi Coast. Artisanal production contributes to its palate; the sauce goes through an intricate assembly upon a base of only salt and anchovies. Fishing boats depart the town for only one month every year, per European Union regulation. Then, the caught anchovies are layered in small wooden barrels — made of nice material like chestnut — alongside abundant sea salt. After about three years, the resulting liquid is filtered and bottled.

Such a patient process means the result is pricey; it's why you'll typically find it in small 100-milliliter bottles. So, rather than approaching it like the foundational Southeast Asian fish sauce, incorporated widely in larger volumes, think of colatura di alici like a finishing component. Add it on as the secret to simple pasta dishes, as little as 1 tablespoon will transform an aglio e olio. Or throw some into a salad dressing or over a pan of roasted vegetables. And even a hefty protein like steak or pork roast will enhance by way of this sauce. If you're after the magical umami of fish sauce but without its boldness, then colatura di alici will deliver such appeal.