The Gilda — a Basque-style tapa often served on a skewer — is one of the oldest pintxos in San Sebastian. The newly opened Bar Casa Vallés (Reyes Catolicos Kalea, 10, 20006 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain) first served it in the ’40s, named after the American film Gilda. It’s a little bit spicy, a little salty, just like the Spanish-descended actress Rita Hayworth’s character in the movie. 

Jon, our local tour guide on a trip with Global Palate Adventures, took us to his social club, where his family and numerous others could entertain by either hiring a chef or preparing their food in the large kitchen. Jon introduced us to this pintxo, instructing us to eat it in one bite from a toothpick resulting in a burst of intense, salty and pickled flavors!

What is the Gilda? It’s a pitted Manzanillo olive, pickled guindilla peppers and salted anchovies on a skewer eaten in one bite!

You can find the mildly spicy, pickled guindilla peppers online at stores specializing in Spanish ingredients, like latienda.com and amazon.com.

After being introduced to it, we ate the Gilda pintxos in many forms at many different bars and restaurants, including one where it was made into sushi of the Goddess Gilda with olive oil caviar at Xarma Cook & Culture (Miguel Imaz Kalea, 1, 20002 Donostia-San Sebastián).

The Gilda

16 whole pitted manzanillo olives
1 jar pickled guindilla peppers (any size)
8 oil-packed anchovies, reserve the oil
Skewers or long toothpicks

Thread 1 olive, one end of an anchovy, 2 guindilla peppers, the other end of the anchovy and then end with another olive on a small skewer. Repeat. Arrange on a serving platter.

Chill until ready to serve, drizzled with reserved anchovy oil.

Makes 8.