The Simple 3-Ingredient Spanish Snack That's Too Easy Not To Try

Who doesn't love an easy, delicious snack with sophisticated flair? Gildas are a type of tapa from the Basque region of Spain that's locally known as a "pintxo".

It's believed that the gilda got its name from an eponymous movie starring the beautiful Rita Hayworth as a sexy, dangerous woman named Gilda. The noir film was so "spicy" that it inspired an appetizer that had a subtle heat, and which tasted amazing with a glass of something strong in your hand. Vermouth is the traditional accompaniment, but gildas' umami, salty flavor go down great with whatever you're sipping.

Just like all the best tapas you can order in Spain, gildas shine in their easy preparation and amazing tastiness that belies their simple ingredients. There are only three components to a gilda: Peppers, anchovy, and olive, all arranged on a skewer. The combination sounds incredibly elementary, but it delivers enormous flavor — perfect for nibbling alongside a drink, like a local, or serving as a small bite at your next get-together.

Whipping up this tapa is such a basic task that you could easily get the job done in less than ten minutes. All you need is a long toothpick or small skewer. Take your peppers, your anchovy, and your olives, and thread them on the skewer in a repeating pattern as many times as you'd like.

Gildas are so incredibly simple that you really should get your hands on the best ingredients possible, since each one is doing a lot of legwork in the final flavor combination. You can choose canned anchovies or a fresh, marinated ones if you can get your hands on them. If possible, use both — the two preparations of fish will provide a dual flavor punch. A briny ingredient that serves as a vegan substitute for anchovies is capers, which are also readily available at your grocer.

True Basque gildas use piquant guindilla chilis. Any pickled pepper will get the job done, however. Knowing types of peppers and when to use them is always a good skill for home chefs, but a basic pepperoncini will serve just fine. As for the olives, pick manzanillas or whatever green variety makes your tastebuds sing. To keep the gilda from browning before eating, you can drizzle the skewers with olive oil. It's likely that your gildas won't last that long, however, as they are likely to disappear just as quickly as they came together!