Acciuga, Alice

Probably the best-loved and most versatile of Italian fish, anchovies are small saltwater fish which live in deep waters and approach the shore only during the spring mating season. The fishing of this speciality is strictly controlled to avoid damaging stocks. Being a lovely blue-green colour, they are classified by Italians as among the pesce azzurro, or blue fish, along with sardines and mackerel.

Newly hatched anchovies, called neonati, latterini or bianchetti, are caught with very fine nets and eaten bones and all with just a little lemon juice or used for very delicate salads and fritters, while the adult fish grow to a maximum of 20 cm (8 inches) in length and are either used fresh in a variety of regional dishes or preserved in salt and olive oil. At their best, these preserved anchovies have all the flavour and aroma of freshly caught and filleted fish.