Chef-tested recipe
Chef-tested recipe
A sharp, salty Basque pintxo of guindilla pepper, anchovy and green olive
I make Gildas when I want a small bite with no unnecessary decoration. This San Sebastián classic depends entirely on balance: fruity green olive, savoury anchovy and the bright vinegar heat of guindilla pepper. Use good preserved ingredients, drain them well and assemble them shortly before serving.
Before you begin
Gather everything first so assembly stays clean and consistent.
01
02
Drain the olives and guindillas thoroughly so brine does not dilute the flavour. Keep the anchovy fillets whole and blot only excess surface oil. Fold rather than chop the peppers so every skewer keeps the classic shape and balance.
Drain the olives and guindillas in separate fine-mesh sieves for 5 minutes. Lay the anchovies on a plate and lightly blot excess oil with kitchen paper.
Trim only excessively long pepper stems. Fold each guindilla once or twice without breaking it.
Thread one olive onto a wooden cocktail pick, followed by one folded anchovy and one folded guindilla. Pass the pick through the ingredients again if needed so they sit securely.
Arrange the Gildas on a serving plate and drizzle lightly with the extra-virgin olive oil.
Rest at cool room temperature for 10 minutes before serving so the anchovy and olive are not refrigerator-cold.
Serve the Gildas on a small chilled plate as part of a pintxos spread. Bread can sit alongside the platter, but it is not traditionally threaded onto the skewer.
Assemble no more than 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate, then bring out 10 minutes before serving. Do not freeze.
Contains fish. Bottled peppers and olives may contain sulphites; check individual labels when cooking for guests with sensitivities.
Usually not. Traditional guindillas are mildly hot with a clear vinegar tang, although heat varies by producer and harvest.
Drain the ingredients ahead if useful, but assemble the Gildas within 4 hours of service so the pepper and anchovy keep their best texture.
Use a firm pitted manzanilla-style green olive. Strongly stuffed olives change the clean flavour of the classic pintxo.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 12 Gildas
- Prep Time
- 15 mins
- Cook Time
- Not required
- Resting Time
- 10 mins
- Total Time
- 25 mins
- Cuisine
- Basque, Spanish
- Course
- Canapé
- Cooking Method
- Draining, folding and skewering
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Best Served With
- Chilled dry vermouth, txakoli, sparkling water or a simple pintxos spread.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Ingredient and equipment links marked “paid link” may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Equipment
- Fine-mesh sievespaid link
- Kitchen paperpaid link
- Wooden cocktail pickspaid link
- Small serving platepaid link
- 02paid link
Ingredients
For the Gildas
- Manzanilla green olives, pitted — 120 g (12 olives)
- Pickled guindilla peppers — 120 g (12 peppers)
- Anchovy fillets in olive oilpaid link — 60 g drained (12 fillets)
- Extra-virgin olive oilpaid link — 15 ml
Preparation Overview
Drain the olives and guindillas thoroughly so brine does not dilute the flavour. Keep the anchovy fillets whole and blot only excess surface oil. Fold rather than chop the peppers so every skewer keeps the classic shape and balance.
Method
-
Drain the olives and guindillas in separate fine-mesh sieves for 5 minutes. Lay the anchovies on a plate and lightly blot excess oil with kitchen paper.
-
Trim only excessively long pepper stems. Fold each guindilla once or twice without breaking it.
-
Thread one olive onto a wooden cocktail pick, followed by one folded anchovy and one folded guindilla. Pass the pick through the ingredients again if needed so they sit securely.
-
Arrange the Gildas on a serving plate and drizzle lightly with the extra-virgin olive oil.
-
Rest at cool room temperature for 10 minutes before serving so the anchovy and olive are not refrigerator-cold.
Beginner Technique Notes
- Guindillas are slender pickled Basque peppers with gentle heat and pronounced acidity; they are not the same as fresh hot green chillies.
- Do not rinse the anchovies. Draining preserves their seasoning while preventing excess oil on the plate.
- Fold long peppers loosely instead of cutting them into small pieces.
Tips and Variations
- Choose anchovies with intact fillets and a clean savoury aroma.
- For a neat canapé platter, point all pepper stems in the same direction.
- Keep additions restrained; the classic olive-anchovy-guindilla trio is the point of the Gilda.
Serving Ideas
- Serve the Gildas on a small chilled plate as part of a pintxos spread. Bread can sit alongside the platter, but it is not traditionally threaded onto the skewer.
Storage
Assemble no more than 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate, then bring out 10 minutes before serving. Do not freeze.
Nutritional Value
Estimated per Gilda55 calories, 2 g protein, 4 g fat, 2 g carbohydrate and 480 mg sodium.
Allergen Notes
Contains fish. Bottled peppers and olives may contain sulphites; check individual labels when cooking for guests with sensitivities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Gilda pintxos very spicy?Usually not. Traditional guindillas are mildly hot with a clear vinegar tang, although heat varies by producer and harvest.
Can I prepare them the day before?Drain the ingredients ahead if useful, but assemble the Gildas within 4 hours of service so the pepper and anchovy keep their best texture.
Which olive is best?Use a firm pitted manzanilla-style green olive. Strongly stuffed olives change the clean flavour of the classic pintxo.
