Scent of the Sea: Anchovies and Pezzogna in Acqua Pazza

Salerno seafood cuisine is a constant dialogue with the Amalfi Coast. On the one hand there’ the noble humility of anchovies, served in the classic “paper cuoppo” to be eaten hot and crispy while strolling along the waterfront. On the other there’ the sophistication of the pezzogna, the deep-sea bream with prized meat.
The red thread that unites these souls is cooking all’acqua pazza: an essential method with oil, water, garlic and cherry tomatoes that enhances the freshness of the catch without covering it up. It is a cuisine of subtraction, where the quality of the raw material tells of the clarity of the local waters and the skill of the fishermen who, for centuries, have been supplying the city’s tables.