Gilda Pintxo is a simple 3-ingredient small bite popular in Basque Country. With minimum prep time and maximum flavor, it’s an easy recipe that’s perfect for parties!
If you want a simple 3-ingredient party appetizer, you won’t find one easier to make than the Gilda Pintxo.
This is reportedly the first pintxo that started it all in Basque Country in Northern Spain.
In cities like San Sebastián and Bilbao, you’ll find pintxo bars all over town. When you walk in, you’ll find rows of skewered small bites, known as pintxos, lined up on the bar.
This Gilda Pintxo recipe is a classic appetizer that is perfect for parties. It’s salty and briny, with strong flavors.
And because it’s skewered onto food picks or small skewers, it’s easy to eat. Your guests will love it!
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🌟 The story behind the Gilda pintxo
The Gilda pintxo is named after actress Rita Hayworth’s character, Gilda, in the namesake film in the 1940s.
During this time, bar and restaurant owners were looking for ways to draw in more customers. One bar owner put together this simple yet strong, salty snack on skewers and placed it on his bar counter so people could see them right away when they walked by.
Soon other restaurants and bars caught on and started creating their own little skewered snacks and placing them on their bar tops. Now the Basque Country is known for its pintxos bars. We loved visiting many pintxos bars in San Sebastian, and we enjoyed lots of pintxos in Bilbao as well.
Pintxos comes from the world pinchar, which means to pinch. You can read more about the origin of pintxos and other delicious pintxos to try in our 12 Popular Pintxos article.
🛒 Ingredient notes
You only need three ingredients to make these classic Gildas! The best part is that these can easily be found in shelf-stable jars and cans, so you can buy them ahead of time and keep them in your pantry until you’re ready to make these.
- Peppers – While in Basque Country, we saw a few different peppers being used. Guindilla peppers are the most traditional type of small peppers to use in Gildas. In the US, you may find pepperoncini or small banana peppers easier to find, and both are great to use.
- Olives – Big, green, pitted olives – typically Manzanilla olive – are traditionally used.
- Anchovies – Buy a tin of high quality anchovy fillets.
✅ Step-by-step instructions
This is a simple recipe in three steps:
- Add a pepper to a small food pick.
- Then fold an anchovy fillet into an S-shape and add it to the skewer.
- Finally, add one large green olive to the skewer.
Repeat with remaining olives, peppers, anchovies, and wooden skewers.
Optional: you can add a light drizzle of high quality extra virgin olive oil over the Gilda pintxos before serving. I find that most don’t need it, but it’s certainly an option if you want.
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQs
Some but not all pintxos include a slice of baguette bread. The Gilda is one pintxo that almost always comes without a piece of bread. However, you can certainly add one if you like.
You can use Guindilla peppers, pepperoncini, banana peppers, or piquillo peppers. Almost any other small yellow-green pepper would work.
These pintxos are best enjoyed soon after they are assembled. However you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
🍽 Serving ideas
The Gilda pintxo is an excellent appetizer to serve at any party, especially a Spanish-themed party!
Serve it alongside other Spanish dishes, such as Gambas al Ajillo or Shrimp Pintxos.
🍷 🥂 Wine pairings
Like most pintxos, the Gilda pintxo is absolutely delicious paired with Spanish Txakoli. It’s a white sparkling wine made famously in the Basque Country region.
Since Txakoli can be tricky to find in the United States outside of specialty wine shops and online, pair pintxos with Cava, another Spanish sparkling wine that’s easier to find in the US.
Honestly, you could pair these delicious small bites with almost any other sparkling white wine. So pair it with your favorite!
🍳 Kitchen tools and equipment
Another great thing about this easy recipe: you don’t need any fancy kitchen gadgets or equipment!
You simply need one of these types of skewers:
- small appetizer skewers
- small bamboo paddle food picks
- cocktail picks
- small toothpicks
These small skewers and food picks can be found online by clicking the links above. Or you can find them in restaurant supply stores as well as some local grocery stores.
More appetizer recipes
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Gilda Pintxo
Equipment
- 8 food picks or small skewers
Ingredients
- 8 pickled guindilla peppers OR pepperoncini
- 8 oil-packed anchovy fillets
- 8 pitted green Manzanilla olives
Instructions
- Slide the pepper onto the food pick or small skewer.
- Snake an anchovy fillet into an S-shape, then skewer.
- Add an olive to the skewer.
- Repeat with remaining 7 skewers, peppers, anchovy fillets, and olives.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
