| Anchovies are a small sea fish found in the | | | | in small tins or jars as well as loose from the |
| Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. They | | | | delicatessen. |
| grow to about 3 inches long. Anchovies are | | | | Anchovy paste is often used in Sicily to flavour |
| related to the herring. Those found in the Atlantic | | | | pizza. It has a less fishy taste than anchovies |
| tend to be slightly larger than the Mediterranean | | | | preserved in either salt or olive oil. You will find |
| variety. | | | | anchovy paste sold in tubes. Generally speaking it |
| In Southern Italy and Spain they are often | | | | is less useful than the other types of preserved |
| cooked fresh. if you are visiting these areas fresh | | | | anchovies. |
| anchovies are worth looking out for in restaurants | | | | When you use anchovies it is best to soak them |
| and cafes. Fresh anchovies are often served | | | | for about ten minutes first to remove some of |
| grilled like sardines. They are good for barbecues. | | | | the salt. That way you get more of the flavour |
| You can also bake them in the oven. | | | | of fish and less of the salt taste. |
| In Italy they don't clean the fish but it's probably a | | | | Anchovies and hard boiled egg yolks mixed with a |
| good idea to do so unless your guests are used | | | | little red wine vinegar made a great sauce for |
| to eating them that way. They are served with a | | | | bland foods. You can use this anchovy sauce on |
| rich garlic and tomato sauce. | | | | cold meat or fish. |
| Fresh anchovies are hard to come by unless you | | | | In Venice they have a dish of fresh beans served |
| have a good fishmonger nearby. You will most | | | | in anchovy sauce. In Naples they like to eat linguini |
| often see them in preserved form because the | | | | in anchovy sauce on Christmas Eve. You simply |
| season is short. Anchovies can be packed in salt | | | | have to cook some garlic in oil then stir in the |
| or olive oil. In that form they are exported all | | | | anchovies until they dissolve. Add a bit of pasta |
| over the world. Preserved anchovies have | | | | water and the sauce is made. Just pour it over |
| become a vital ingredient in most Italian cooking. | | | | the pasta. |
| When anchovies they are salted they must be | | | | Try anchovies in a simple dish like artichokes with |
| cleaned and gutted as soon as they are caught. | | | | anchovies. Steam some artichokes in about half |
| They are allowed to dry before being layered in | | | | an inch of water. When they are almost cooked |
| large round tins with salt. The tins are stacked | | | | remove them from the pan and add the soaked |
| into towers which are called seasoning towers. | | | | anchovies. Cook the anchovies, stirring all the |
| Weights are placed on top of them. They are left | | | | time, until they have dissolved. Return the |
| like this for up to two months. During this time | | | | artichokes to the pan for a few minutes so that |
| the fluid in the fish is forced out and replaced by | | | | they can soak up the sauce. |
| salt. | | | | Serve this as a side dish so that your guests who |
| Anchovies preserved in oil must be treated | | | | think they hate anchovies can try just a little. This |
| differently. Fresh anchovies are immersed in brine | | | | dish will surely change their minds about anchovies. |
| for two months. After that they are washed in | | | | Any bad memories they might have of nasty |
| more salt water, cleaned and filleted. The two tiny | | | | salty litte fish on their pizzas will be forgotten. Just |
| fillets are then packed in jars or tins of olive oil. | | | | let them taste the authentic flavour of anchovies |
| Both types of preserved anchovy can be bought | | | | in Italian cooking. |