The Fish Paste Giada De Laurentiis Can't Stop Using

Who doesn't love an authentic Italian dish with all of its poignant flavors? What home chefs appreciate even more than flavor-packed dishes, though, are recipes that don't take all day and night to whip up, yet still deliver in the flavor department. If that's the kind of food you're after, you're probably already familiar with Giada De Laurentiis and "Everyday Italian," which has aired on the Food Network since 2003 (per IMDb).

According to Food Network, De Laurentiis' Italian heritage is built with strong culinary roots. Instead of using this culturally rich knowledge to overcomplicate recipes, De Laurentiis aims to simplify the dishes so any chef, no matter their skill level, can create delicious Italian food. In 2016, the culinary icon told First We Feast that her main goal in sharing her love of Italian food with the world was to create accessibility and bring recipes "down to their core essence." But what's the trick to cooking a show-stopper Italian dish on a whim?

De Laurentiis says a well-stocked pantry is what everyone needs to create amazing dishes every night of the week. As De Laurentiis told CNN in October, "if you have all the staples, you will never feel like you can't put a meal together at the drop of a hat." And among those essentials, there's one fish paste De Laurentiis always has on hand.

In October, Giada De Laurentiis outlined some of her favorite pantry staples to CNN, explaining that she only uses dried pasta made in Italy due to its short list of ingredients. She also recommends using an Italian spice mix for convenience and added flavor intensity. And if you've been wondering which olive oil brand De Laurentiis swears by, or in this case, her favorite fish paste, look to a separate interview the chef did with Bon Appétit.

In the 2018 interview, De Laurentiis delved into her tried-and-true pantry staples, proclaiming her appreciation for Amore anchovy paste. The Amore brand, she says, carries a lot of depth but isn't too expensive. De Laurentiis adds that anchovy paste, in general, is a great item to have on hand for when your dish needs a salty kick.

De Laurentiis launched her website Giadzy in 2016 and told Yahoo in August that her goal is to "bring real, good, authentic, organic ingredients from Italy to the United States." In the shop section of the Giadzy website, fans can purchase high-quality anchovy filets in olive oil, as well as Semola flour and Sicilian pistachio spread. But what are anchovy filets, and what can they bring to your recipes that other ingredients can't?

BBC Good Food describes anchovies as small silver fish allocated mainly in and around the Mediterranean and Black Sea and preserved in salt and oil. These tiny fish are known for adding a salty, "umami" component to most dishes without an overpowering fish flavor.

Because anchovies are a shelf-stable flavor enhancer, they're a great addition to have readily available when you're looking to add a unique taste to your traditional recipes. Beyond, say, your favorite recipe for pasta with anchovy-walnut sauce, MasterClass suggests serving anchovies alongside crackers and olives as an appetizer or sprinkling them on pizza. Anchovy paste and filets are also great additions to sauces and salad dressings.

Giada De Laurentiis specifically stands by the Amore brand of anchovy paste. The founder, Mario Foah, grew up in Naples, Italy, and he was inspired to share his mother's culinary brilliance with the rest of the world. The Amore brand signifies Foah's goal of bringing some of Italy's finest products to the United States. Whether you choose filets or paste, having a jar or tin of anchovies on hand is a surefire way to boost the flavor of your next homemade meal or to serve as a key ingredient in a new recipe, such as De Laurentiis' garlic anchovy pasta (per Giadzy).