Spain's quintessential pincho, the Gilda, prepared by the experts at Hazas, an award-winning cannery in Lastres, Asturias, a fishing town famed for producing some of the world's finest anchovies. You will find six Gildas in the tin, made with Cantabrian anchovy fillets, locally-sourced Manzanilla olives and spicy piparra peppers.
Serving tip: the olives are small so that the medley of flavours can be enjoyed all at once, in one bite (this was the original idea when the Gilda was created in the Basque Country - a tribute to Rita Hayworth's salty, spicy and green character in the film of the same name). Enjoy the Gilda with a glass of crisp white wine such as Albariño or Txakoli, something sparkling like Champagne, Cava or low alcohol Moscato d'Asti.
About the anchovies: Hazas works with anchovies caught in spring when they are filled with roe and consequently meatier and less fatty. This makes for a tastier end result. The anchovies chosen by Hazas are the ones caught al alba (at dawn) because these are the freshest when they arrive at the port. The boats Hazas source from are the ones where the anchovies are treated with care and not bruised in the nets when they are caught - an important factor that impacts on the final result. The anchovies are cured in salt for a minimum of 18 months. When the fish emerge from the salt barrels the excess salt and the skin is removed carefully with fishing net. The anchovies are then filleted and deboned meticulously using tweezers. Finally, at Hazas a signature step is that the anchovy fillets are all reviewed and approved at the end of each day by one person, who then tins the anchovies.
About the cannery: Anchoas Hazas is a small, artisanal cannery, in Lastres, Asturias. It was founded in order to revive the town's strong tradition of anchovy curing. It's said that every household is expert at curing anchovies. Hazas source the anchovies principally from the port of Asturias, but the schools of anchovies move quickly around the Cantabrian Sea and the scouts from the cannery purchase them from the Basque Country, if that's where the best ones are landed.
Storage: Hazas recommends storing anchovies between 5°C and 10°C to maintain their texture for longer. Remove the Gildas from the fridge 30 minutes before you are ready to serve to allow the oil to liquefy again. After the tin is opened, store in a fridge and consume within 7 days.
Shipping. We do not ship anchovies in insulated packaging unless you request us to. This is because anchovies will not deteriorate during the short transit time. However, if you prefer, you can add temperature-controlled shipment here.
