Gilda

In my first post I explained how to prepare the main tapa in Spain. In this short post I will describe how to prepare the second main tapa in Basque Country: Gilda.

In Basque Country, a northern region where tapas are called pintxos, going out to have some pintxos with some drinks (beer or wine) is one of the highlights when you visit this region. If visiting Bilbao, San Sebastian or Mundaka it's 'compulsory' to go out and enjoy some pintxos while you have some Riojas (local red wine), zuritos (small portion of beer) or marianitos (vermouth). You will amaze when you go into a bar and see on the bar many kinds of very elaborated pintxos. You will not know which one to choose. One of the traditional and less elaborated pintxos are the GILDAS, a very simple recipe that we normally have before lunch.

Its name was given because of the main character in the movie GILDA, starred by Rita Hayworth in 1946, because this tapa is 'salty, green and a little bit hot'. When in Spanish we say that a person is salty, we mean that is charming. Besides, a green and hot person means that a person is playful and wicked (related to sex). The restaurant Casa Valles (still opened after 65 running the business) was the first place that used this name for this kind of tapa 60 years ago, more or less, after watching that movie.

If you like pickles and anchovies, you will love this small recipe. Its flavour is pretty strong and sour, so it's perfect as appetizer with a glass of wine.

The ingredients for a traditional Gilda are:

- Anchovies

- Olives

- Pickle green chillies

And the elaboration couldn't be easier. You only need to prick those ingredients in a toothpick. The order as you prefer, there is no rules for it. And in few seconds you will have an apperitive for your parties or unexpected visits. In Spain is so common that you can buy them in jugs. So, even faster...

Nowadays, there are many versions of this pintxo: with pickle gherkins, with pickled onions, with a small portion of red pepper, with a dice of canned tuna, with pickle anchovies or with a boiled and peeled quail egg. 

Our gildas from our home made appetizer

Hope you can visit Basque Country and try a gilda but just in case you don't have that choice try and enjoy it at home.

Salud!