Anchovies!!

So this week I chose to cook with anchovies! I've always heard of anchovies, but never eaten or cooked with them. I chose to cook with them after watching many a episodes of Rachael Ray at the gym (I usually watch The Food Network while I run...it gives me inspiration for supper :) ) in which she cooked with anchovies...including them in pasta, pizza and even salad. I chose one of her pizza recipes and it was very yummy!

Ok, so enough about me how about anchovy! It is a small fish which is found throughout the world's oceans. It is a green fish with blue reflections. Anchovies are typically caught, salted in brine and then packed in oil or salt. At the grocery you can usually find this smelly fish in the canned fish isle or you can even find anchovy paste at some of your local grocery stores. Anchovies are found in some of your pantry staples such as Worcestershire Sauce, some Caesar salads and as an optional topping to pizza.

Here is my choice for the week-

Puttanesca Pizza by Rachael Ray

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons anchovy paste or 6 fillets flat anchovies
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped pitted good quality black olives
Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 prepared thin crust pizza shell (recommended: Boboli)
3/4 pound very thinly sliced fresh or fresh smoked mozzarella

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, anchovy paste and red pepper flakes. When anchovies (if whole) melt or garlic is tender, about 2 minutes, add tomatoes and olives. Simmer sauce 3 to 4 minutes. Top the pizza with sauce and the sliced cheese. Bake until pizza until cheese melts and crust is crisp, 10 minutes. Cut and serve.

**Anchovies melting in oil..yumm!




Finished product! It was very yummy and very flavorful. FYI...this is smoked gouda cheese on top b/c I couldn't find the smoked mozzarella cheese here in Paris :(