Wash romaine leaves thoroughly. Spin dry or pat dry with paper towels until crisp. Tear leaves into bite-sized pieces and place in a large chilled salad bowl.

Add croutons and anchovies

Add 1 1/2 cups croutons to the bowl. Reserve 4 whole white anchovy fillets for garnish; roughly chop the remaining 4 fillets and add them to the salad bowl so they mingle with the leaves (the dressing also contains minced anchovy for umami).

Finish and serve

When dressing is ready, dress the salad (see Dressing section) and toss gently with tongs until leaves are evenly coated. Scatter 3/4 cup shaved Parmesan over the top, arrange reserved whole white anchovies on top, add optional capers or caper berries if using, and serve with lemon wedges.

Dressing

Mince anchovies and garlic

Finely mince 2 white anchovy fillets and 1 small garlic clove together on a cutting board; then sprinkle a pinch of salt over the garlic and mash into a paste with the side of a knife to mellow the garlic.

Emulsify dressing

In a medium bowl, combine the mashed anchovy-garlic paste with 1/2 cup mayonnaise (or 1 egg yolk if using), 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Whisk to combine. While whisking vigorously, slowly drizzle in 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil until the dressing is smooth and slightly thickened.

Season

Taste the dressing and adjust seasoning: add up to 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper as needed. If the dressing is too thick, whisk in a little cold water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to reach a pourable but clingy consistency.

Optional garnish

Top the dressed salad with additional shaved Parmesan and scatter 2 tablespoons capers or a few caper berries for briny contrast. Serve immediately with lemon wedges to squeeze over individual portions.