Anchovies seem to inspire love-hate relationships - there's no in between. Some people adore these pungent, salty fish while others can't stand to be even in the same room with them. I love them but admit they taste better in small quantities. If they're on a pizza, they're best when they're chopped up and scattered evenly over the whole base, rather than having just a few concentrated bites of whole anchovy.
Most people associate anchovies with Caesar salad, although they were reportedly not part of the original recipe as created by Caesar Cardini in Tijuana, Mexico. I've overheard customers in restaurants requesting that the anchovy be 'left out' of their salad - they don't realise the dressing is usually made up far in advance and it's impossible to take out the pureed anchovy. Some places try to compromise by leaving anchovies out of the dressing and draping whole fillets over the romaine lettuce. When I order a Caesar salad, I ask if anchovy is mixed into the dressing - if it's not, I won't order it. In an ideal world, the dressing would be mixed to order by a tuxedo-clad waiter in front of customers who can request as much as they want, but this formal service is rare.
One way to disguise anchovies is by putting them in something with other strong flavours. I often make salsa verde for grilled or pan-fried meats or fish (it's especially good over salmon and steaks). In a food processor, roughly puree garlic, capers, anchovy fillets, parsley, lemon juice and olive oil. This won't need any added salt. Chill for at least 15 minutes before serving, so flavours have time to blend.
Another tasty anchovy dish is pasta puttanesca. And this one is excellent for those in a hurry - I read somewhere pasta puttanesca was created by prostitutes in Italy who could make it between 'assignments'.
This pungent dish is delicious but tends to leave a lingering taste in the mouth. The sauce doesn't take very long to cook, so start boiling the pasta before you make the sauce. Heat oil in a pan and add minced garlic, finely chopped anchovies and red pepper flakes. Stir in chopped tomatoes and simmer until much of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in minced capers and roughly chopped pitted olives (preferably Kalamata or Nicoise). Taste and adjust the seasoning, then remove from the heat and stir in chopped parsley. Serve over the al dente pasta.