How to Transport Yourself to the Italian Coast with Colatura di Alici at Flora
The town of Cetara is the Colatura capital on Italy’s Amalfi Coast. Photo by Alan Aerts on Unsplash.
There's a moment when you take a bite of a dish, and suddenly, you're somewhere else. For a second, you could swear you're dining with a view of the Mediterranean. That's what happens at Flora when you order the linguine with broccoli rabe cream, Colatura di Alici di Menaica crunchy dried peppers imported from Matera, and toasted breadcrumbs, all drizzled with Marco Rizzo extra virgin olive oil.
The secret to this dish is the Colatura di Alici, a golden, umami-rich liquid extracted from anchovies and one of the Amalfi Coast's most treasured culinary secrets. But this isn't the anchovy juice most Americans imagine—far from it. A few drops of colatura transform a dish, bringing the essence of the sea without the overt brininess many associate with anchovies. It's delicate, deeply savory, and an instant passport to the sun-soaked cliffs of Cetara, the ancient fishing village where this liquid gold originates.
Colatura di Alici di Menaica (left) is among the imported ingredients at Flora. Photo by Daniel Schwartz.
At Flora, we source our colatura – Colatura di Alici di Menaica – from a tiny artisanal family-run factory in Pisciotta, one of the prettiest fishing villages on the Cilento Coast, a few miles south of Cetara. This high-end product is just one way we celebrate Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park in all our dishes.
Pisciotta is an ancient fishing village on the Cilento coast. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
A Taste of History
Colatura di Alici's roots date to the Romans, who produced a similar fermented fish sauce. It was a staple of Roman cuisine, prized for its ability to enhance dishes with a depth of flavor unmatched by any other ingredient. Today, the fishermen up and down the coast, from Cetara to Pisciotta, keep this tradition alive using time-honored methods.
The process is painstakingly artisanal: freshly caught anchovies are layered with sea salt in wooden barrels and left to cure for months. The natural aging process allows the anchovies to release a clear, amber-hued liquid, the colatura. Unlike industrial fish sauces, which can be overpowering or overly salty, colatura is refined and balanced, adding just the right touch of oceanic essence to elevate a dish without overwhelming it.
We like Colatura di Alici di Menaica because of the menaica (the special nets they use to catch the anchovies). They were once used everywhere around the Mediterranean but now survive only in a few coastal towns that do things the ancient way instead of following contemporary fishing techniques.
The linguine with Colatura di Alici at Flora. Photo by Daniel Schwartz.
The Secret Behind Flora's Linguine
The Colatura di Alici di Menaica mingles with a velvety broccoli rabe cream in the linguine dish, adding depth and complexity. The imported dried peppers from Matera provide a gentle heat and crunch, while toasted breadcrumbs add texture. To finish, a drizzle of Marco Rizzo EVOO rounds out the dish, complementing the briny umami of the colatura.
The result? A pasta that's bright yet rich, intensely flavorful yet beautifully balanced.
Bringing the Amalfi Coast & Cilento to Brooklyn
Flora's approach to southern Italian cuisine is rooted in tradition but never constrained by it. The combination of ingredients invites you to experience the depth of Italian coastal cooking in a classic and contemporary way. If you've never tried colatura before, let this be your introduction. One taste, and you'll understand why this ancient ingredient has stood the test of time.
So, head to Flora the next time you find yourself longing for the Italian coast but stuck in Brooklyn. Order the linguine, and let the colatura transport you there.
