An anchovy is a small, oily sea fish that is often preserved in salt or oil and used to add strong, salty flavor to dishes. It is common in Mediterranean cooking and on some pizzas.
From Spanish 'anchoa' or 'anchova', likely from a Basque word meaning 'dried fish'. It entered English through trade and food culture around the Mediterranean.
Anchovies are tiny, but they’re flavor bombs—chefs often melt them into sauces so you don’t see them, you just taste extra depth. If you’ve liked Caesar salad or Worcestershire sauce, you’ve probably enjoyed hidden anchovies already.
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