Carciuga Artichoke and Anchovy Spread
A taste of the Italian Piedmont to put on pasta, sandwiches, or seafood
Still something of a secret, this exceptional artichoke and anchovy sauce from the folks at the small, artisan-oriented firm of Il Mongetto in the Piedmont, or Piemonte, region of Italy can liven up almost any dish you add it to.
We’ve been buying great regional products from Il Mongetto for over 30 years now! I have enormous respect for their commitment to quality, regional tradition, and the kind of full, complex flavors we love here in the ZCoB. Roberto and Margherita Santopietro started the business in the town of Monferrato back in the early ’80s, right around when we were getting the Deli going. The whole project was built around recipes Roberto found in the old “black book” that his Piemontese grandmother Palmyra had written out by hand over the course of her life. Jarred foods are a 200-year-old tradition in the region—every family had its own recipes, and fruits and vegetables, jams, sauces, and spreads were put in small jars and stored in the family’s pantry to be used throughout the rest of the year.
What was once commonplace is now a compelling argument for sustaining tradition, as Il Mongetto describes:
It’s a form of cultural resistance. Preserving requires time, attention, and precision. Choosing a handcrafted jarred product means choosing a supply chain that respects uncompressed processing times, meticulous attention to detail, and processes that prioritize quality, not just productivity. Monferrato has always had a special relationship with this slow pace. Its hills, vineyards, and small villages speak of a culture of waiting, patience, and care. And the glass jar is a direct result of this mentality.
The use of anchovies, both in this spread and in the classic regional specialty bagna càuda, may seem strange to anyone who takes note of geography. The region of Piemonte is landlocked—so how did anchovies become a culinary focus there? The folks at Il Mongetto offer,
The explanation has its roots in the Middle Ages and subsequent centuries, a period when salt was a precious commodity and subject to heavy duties and royal taxes. To evade these onerous taxes, merchants from Piedmont and Asti established trade routes with neighboring Liguria, following what we now call the Salt Routes (Via del Sale). The most ingenious devised a smuggling ploy: they transported barrels of salted anchovies, since anchovies were a less taxed (or even exempt) product than pure salt. Once inland, anchovies were sold at affordable prices, providing the Piedmontese with not only a source of intense flavor but also an indirect source of salt. This abundant and unexpected marine ingredient quickly became part of popular cuisine. …
Those who transported salt and anchovies from the sea to Piedmont were not just any merchants. They were mountain sailors, or anchovy sellers, mythical figures in Piedmontese history. They set out on foot, or with mules and carts, undertaking long journeys to purchase anchovies at low prices in Ligurian ports, such as Genoa or Savona, and resell them in the Piedmontese or Lombard markets. Some anchovy sellers ventured as far as Switzerland and France, bringing with them not only anchovies and salt, but also a piece of their culture. Their trade was seasonal, and many of them worked as farmers or shepherds the rest of the year. … Selling salted anchovies allowed them to transport and distribute the precious salt without incurring penalties. A sort of legal loophole that combined necessity, cunning, and resilience.
The name “Carciuga”—pronounced car-CHOO-gah—is a cute, compelling, and completely accurate contraction of carciofi (artichokes) and acciughe (anchovies), both found on the Cantabrian coast in Spain. Blended with a little extra virgin olive oil from the Tuscan estate of Alfredo Mancianti and a small bit of vinegar, it makes a pretty darned delicious spread. You can use it on toast, turn it into a pasta sauce, or add a spoonful or two to other dishes (like the tuna salad I write about above). Over the years, the Carciuga has become one of Il Mongetto’s biggest-selling products. If, as I am, you’re inclined toward complex Italian flavors and great anchovies, check this stuff out ASAP at Mail Order!
