Spicy sardella (Rosa marina), also known as Calabrian caviar, caviar of the poor, or nudicella, is a typical Calabrian product of the province of Crotone, the Alto Ionio Cosentino and the Basso Ionio Cosentino, made with a sauce of whitebait of very small and/or medium size and ground hot red pepper powder. Other ingredients are salt and flavourings (wild fennel seeds).
More sought-after is the mullet rosamarina because, thanks to the natural colour of these fish, it is slightly pinkish when peaching and has a sweeter taste once cooked, compared to the commercial version based on anchovies which appears completely white. It must be specified that in Calabria with "rosamarina" it indicates at the same time the catch and the product already processed as a sauce.
