In this village on the south-west coast of Italy, an unusually high number of ... of a certain fish in villagers' diets. "Everybody ate anchovies," he told NPR. "Now, you know, I actually like ...

At one point, the upper class really looked down on anchovies, he says. In 1592, an Italian doctor wrote that they were "food for the poor" and "for rough people, accustomed to exertion".

Cut the bread into ½-inch-thick slices. On each slice, spread butter generously, then top with an anchovy fillet.

Fresh anchovies don't travel well so are best eaten in the Mediterranean. They're not easy to find in the UK because there isn’t a great demand for them, but try Italian or Spanish delis.

An curved arrow pointing right. Colatura di alici, which is Italian for "anchovy drippings," is a traditional sauce produced by fermenting salted anchovies inside small chestnut barrels.