Pizza Today - October 2020 - 43

Indian oceans, the most popular is the
Engraulis encrasicolus, or European
anchovy.
Anchovies don't start out as those super
salty, reddish brown fillets. Pulled straight
from the water they are beautiful sliver
fish with stark white flesh. It is the curing
and packing process that produces what
we often see sold in stores. There are few
different ways to buy anchovies. The most
commonly available are those that are
processed as filets and packed in barrels of
oil for several months. This amplifies the
salty, oily taste of the fish. Needless to say, a
small amount goes a long way. While these
anchovies are not always the highest quality, nor is the oil they are packed in, they
are still great used in dressings and sauces.
Salt-packed anchovies are generally a
higher quality, with the salt drawing out
excess moisture and oil and concentrating
the flavor. Just make sure to rinse the filets
under cold water before use to get rid of
any excess salt.
And then there are marinated white
anchovies, typical of Spain and Southern
Italy. They are marinated in vinegar and
other seasonings and should be used as
part of the dish and not hidden beneath
the flavors. We use them draped on our
Caesar salad and nestled on top of pies.

creating a cohesive flavor and texture that
even anti-anchovy people will love. But you
don't have to make melted anchovies to make
them delicious on a pizza.
I've put them on whole with roasted
sweet onions, Brussels, marinara, garlic and
finished with a handful of grated parmesan.
If you have the beautiful white Italian ones
they are fantastic as a post oven topper. I
like them on a white pie, on top of a bed of
arugula with a big squeeze of fresh lemon
juice and a big pour of quality extra virgin
olive oil. They also go great with olives. The
saltiness of the fish compliments and cuts
through the brininess of the olives. Think
puttanesca on a pie. Add a heavy hit of garlic
and maybe a few leeks. Then there is one of
my favorites, the classic Marinara pizza with
a few choice anchovies on top. If you're lucky
enough to come by fresh anchovies, don't
hesitate to dive right in.
Fresh anchovies seem to be a rarity in the
States. So, I was pleasantly surprised when,
nested between the salmon kabobs, halibut
steaks and prawns I spotted a tiny sea of
silver skins. They are wild caught and super
cheap. Having never cooked or cured the tiny
fish myself, I was super excited to take them
home and play around. They are surprisingly

easy to clean. You can simply leave them
whole and cook them with their heads and
spines attached. However, if you come across
some that are a little larger and just want the
filet, simply cut the head off with a pair of
scissors and pull the skeleton out. I like to
marinate them in something simple like a
squeeze of fresh lemon, extra virgin olive oil,
fresh herbs, salt and pepper. I let them soak
in it for an hour or so and them either use
them as a base for pasta, sautéed with broccoli and Chile flakes or even just cooked and
eaten straight off of the plate.
Anchovies are for everyone. Well, maybe
not vegans, but everyone else. You just don't
know it yet. They are the secret ingredient
that rounds out a dish and drops the ultimate
flavor bomb. They hide in the background
to prop up the other ingredients. The key
to their success is knowing how much to
use and what quality of fish to buy depending on how you are utilizing them. In the
Post-Pandemic world, you'll know where to
find me. I'll be the girl on the Amalfi with a
huge plate of golden fried little fishies and a
Marinara pie. n
AUDREY KELLY is the owner and pizzaiola
at Audrey Jane's Pizza Garage in Boulder, CO.

Packed full of flavor, there are so
many ways to maximize an anchovy's
unique taste at your pizzeria. Adding just a few to pizza or pasta sauce can
transform the flavor, bringing a depth that
won't otherwise be present. They are fantastic as an appetizer, fried as I mentioned
before or even marinated and served on
toast. You can mix them into a tapenade,
accompanied by some house-made focaccia. They, of course, account for one of the
most popular salads, Caesar. We add the
salty, oil packed variety to our dressing and
have the option to top the salad with some
beautiful Italian white anchovies. And
then there is pizza.
One of the best pizzas I have ever had
was from Dan Richer at Razza in Jersey
City, New Jersey. Of course, I was blown
away by his incredible dough, but his
application of anchovies...My goodness!
He makes a Brussels sprout pie topped
with melted anchovies. It is a pie that I
have tried to replicate many times over
just to satisfy my own cravings for it since
I live 3,000 miles away. The flavor is just
the right amount of salt and umami.
The anchovies literally melt into the pie,

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9/9/20 9:24 AM
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Pizza Today - October 2020

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