Salted anchovies

Directions

1. For each small pot, you will need approximately 1.5 to 2 kg of fish and 1 kg of salt. ≈ 3 min
2. Cover the bottom of the pot with a small handful of coarse salt (about two tablespoons), then arrange the anchovies in a row of 12 to 14, head-to-tail, with the remaining circular space filled with two to four anchovies on either side. ≈ 3 min
3. Add another handful of salt to this layer. It’s not necessary to use a centimetre, as some books suggest: it’s fine if the two layers touch, but it’s important to avoid large pockets of air. ⏱ ≈ 10 min
4. There needs to be enough salt to fill the gaps between the fish and just cover those at the bottom. If there isn’t enough, air bubbles can form. Shake the container after each layer to pack the fish and salt together, and add more salt if needed. ≈ 3 min
5. Create the next row in a cross pattern: if the first row went from left to right, the next row should go from right to left, and the third row should go from left to right again. ≈ 3 min
6. Continue in this manner for 5 to 7 layers, until you reach a distance of 2 cm from the edge. ≈ 3 min
7. Fill these 2 cm with salt, up to the edge. ≈ 3 min
8. Place a flat stone, a plastic plate, or a glass plate (or, if not available, a flat dish) on top, along with a weight of at least 4 kg, cylindrical, that doesn’t get stuck. A 1.5 or 2-liter bottle is too light; carrots weighing 2-3 kg or stacked slate tiles are suitable. The heavier the weight, the better the fish will be packed. ≈ 3 min
9. During the first week, once the fish is packed, you can “layer” it: using a spoon, remove 2 cm of salt (keeping it in a serving dish), add a layer of fish from a serving pot, and then return the salt. This is an extra step and a delicate process. ≈ 2 min