Agostino Recca Fillet of Anchovies in Olive Oil, 1.76 oz (50g) – Premium Italian Anchovies, Product of Italy [Pack of 3]

These are excellent, mild anchovies that have the slight sweetness rarely found in canned anchovies. They also lack that flavor of can that sometimes affects the fish. I go through lots of anchovies making anchoiade, and the Agostino Reccas balance the saltier, stronger anchovies (like Cento) to give the sauce a more complex, less fishy flavor.

A little pricier than brands of Moroccan anchovies. But clearly superior. Worth the difference, in my opinion. Firmer, large, not very dark. Excellent flavor, the right amount of saltiness. Each can has(according to the can, not my measurement) 1 ounce of anchovies(drained), which comes out to about 8 fillets. The can states that 40% of contents are olive oil. The stated expiration date on my cans was 2 1/2 years away. (3/26) Just ordered some more.

The anchovies I opened soon after delivery were the best I have ever had. They were flavorful and perfectly canned so that they separated easily. But before the expiration date the other cans bulged and leaked in the cupboard, making a mess. Can’t recommend at all. Too bad.

Look, I love anchovies. A saltine, Kewpie Mayo, and a slice of Wickles Dirty Dill pickle. These are WAY less salty than what you’re used to. They have a great Parmesan cheese like flavor. King Oscar are second best where I am. King Oscar has HUGE, perfect fillets, but the flavor is different. These ARE smaller for sure. These anchovies are not salty in the way that all other canned preserved anchovies are. These are NOT Boquerones - they are traditional salted anchovies, but they’re better than you’re used to. Some review mention swelled cans: if you have a swelled can DO NOT eat it. I’ve bought 9 cans across 2 orders and have not experienced that, but I’m not suggesting it’s impossible. Amazon is usually pretty good about returns so consider that. Cheers!

I used to really like King Oscar Anchovies but can't find anymore and so have been searching for an affordable anchovy and and these do a good job. These are quite good canned anchovies, a bit of bones, but had a nice rich taste without being too salty or too fishy, broke down nicely in my Puttanesca sauce (used the entire can) and are well within the expiration date (2027). Will buy again for sure.

One of the reasons I buy anchovies is for their long shelf life, but when we opened up the last 2 of the 3 cans we purchased, they both had already leaked in our pantry. We didn't feel safe eating them, so sadly they were discarded. When they 1st arrived, they'd been carefully removed them from their packaging and put straight in the pantry. There's no way they got damaged at our house. I really love this brand of anchovies, but I don't know that I'd risk ordering them from Amazon again.

Update: I am experiencing the leakage issue. Since I use these in cooking, I have used the leaking tins that did not smell rancid. They are heated high enough to kill possible bacteria. I know. I am a weirdo. I like little hairy fish - anchovies. I like the strong salty hit. I also use them in salad dressing and puttanesca. I had two different varieties last week including these. The others were nice firm fish but had a texture I did not enjoy. Also, the salt flavor was not as pronounced. I plan to keep these on hand.

I think these are better value for the money than less costly, poorer quality anchovies. These have a nice firm texture, and a distinctive anchovy taste- as opposed to mushy textured little strips with a simply fishy taste.