Fall in love with the humble anchovy with this authentic Spanish gilda recipe: the famous pepper, olive, and anchovy skewer from Basque Country, and one of the best pintxos in San Sebastian!
If you've got people coming over, why not throw a pintxos party? See my other pintxos recipes for inspiration.
Introduction
Pintxos are the perfect party food. They always taste good (who doesn't love bread topped with tasty things?) and they're always easy to make (again; it's usually bread and toppings). Plus, being able to put together an evening of authentic Basque bites will always impress your guests!
This traditional Basque pintxo is the perfect appetizer, whether you're bar hopping in San Sebastian or back home enjoying a glass of delicious Spanish vermouth. Of all the Basque pintxos you can make, nothing will ever beat the Gilda!
Ingredients
You're probably wondering what you need to whip up this tempting Spanish pintxo! Fortunately, all you need is 4 simple ingredients.
- Anchovies: Use good quality salt-cured anchovies--preferably refrigerated ones if you can. My favorite brand is Ortiz, and it can be ordered online.
- Guindilla: These Basque pickled peppers are small green peppers that taste wonderful in these skewers. Substitute with peperoncini if you can't get guindilla.
- Gherkins: Small gherkins or cubes of your favorite pickle work wonderfully in this recipe to add a vinegary crunch.
- Green Olives: Use Spanish olives if you can!
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Spanish Gilda Skewers
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Start by skewering a gherkin on a toothpick. (image 1)
- Poke one end of the anchovy just above the gherkin. (image 2)
- Place the two guindilla peppers on top, then poke the other end of the anchovy on top of the peppers. (image 3)
- Top the gilda with a green olive. (image 4)
- Drizzle the plate of gilda skewers with olive oil. (image 5)
- Enjoy these pintxo skewers on pieces of bread! (image 6)
Recipe FAQs
It's a toothpick of briny olives, a salt-cured anchovy, a pickled green guindilla pepper, and sometimes a gherkin pickle or sundried tomato.
It doesn't look like anything special, but when you add them all together, you get a mouthful of salty, acidic, and umami-rich deliciousness that will make your mouth water as you reach for your aperitif. It's no wonder that you see so many locals walk into a tapas bar and order una gilda with their first drink of the evening!
Legend has it that the Gilda was first created in 1948 by the owner of Bar Casa Vallés, a classic local tavern in San Sebastian. Señor Vallés had a habit of serving olives, salted anchovies, and pickles to his guests when they ordered their vermouth or a porrón of wine. When one of his customers skewered them all together on a toothpick, a classic was born. They named the new pintxo after Rita Hayworth's most famous on-screen character: Gilda.Â
Serve
These Spanish gilda pintxos are great on their own, but I recommend serving it with a glass of Spanish vermouth. Round out the spread with other appetizers, like smoked salmon and cream cheese pintxo, goat cheese and caramelized onion pintxo, and gambas al ajillo pintxo.
Expert Tips
- This Gilda recipe is for one serving, so repeat the steps to make as many skewers as you need. Trust me, you'll always need more than one--even if it's just for you!
- Jazz up your Gilda by adding other garnishes. A hard-boiled quail egg is a great addition, as well as small pieces of soft cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Make it your own!
- The better quality the anchovies, the better this pintxo will be! Ideally, go for a good brand that comes from the refrigerated section. Ortiz is a good brand that can be found in online shops around the world.
Other Pintxo Recipes You'll Love
If you liked this recipe, please share it with others!
Follow Spanish Sabores on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram for more recipes and travel tips.
If you've made and enjoyed this recipe, please leave a 5-star review!
Spanish Gilda Recipe (Pepper, Olive, & Anchovy Skewers)
Ingredients
- 1 small pickled gherkin or a small chunk of your favorite pickle
- 2 guindillas (Spanish pickled peppers) or peperoncini
- 1 pitted green olive
- 1 salted anchovy fillet
Instructions
- Drain the olives and pickles, and remove the stalk of the guindillas. If the gherkins are too large for one mouthful, slice them in half.
- Start by skewering the gherkin on a toothpick.
- Next, skewer one extreme end of the anchovy fillet, followed by the guindilla peppers.
- Skewer the other end of the anchovy fillet. The anchovy should now be threaded through the peppers. Finish it by skewering the olive on top.
- Repeat by making as many skewers as you'd like, then drizzle them with a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy!
Notes
- This Gilda recipe is for one serving, so repeat the steps to make as many skewers as you need. Trust me, you'll always need more than one--even if it's just for you!
- Jazz up your Gilda by adding other garnishes. A hard-boiled quail egg is a great addition, as well as small pieces of soft cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Make it your own!
- The better quality the anchovies, the better this pintxo will be! Ideally, go for a good brand that comes from the refrigerated section. Ortiz is a good brand that can be found in online shops around the world.
Nutrition
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
Giulia Verdinelli
These were a hit as an appetiser for a dinner party!
So easy and quick to make, really tasty, umami and well-balanced.
My guests loved them - and so did I! Next time I'll definitely make more.
Thank you for a fantastic recipe.