Italians have a special relationship with baccalà – the salt-dried cod from the northern reaches of Europe is a favourite for the festive seasons and it’s always found in stalls at local markets.
Originally caught and dried by the Vikings, it first arrived in southern Italy with the Normans around 1000 AD and was very quickly absorbed into Italian cuisine. The salt method of preservation meant that people living inland were able to enjoy salt-water fish all year round.
Well-cooked baccalà is not at all fishy in flavour and should be slightly chewy, remaining firm even when flaked. How you cook it is down to personal preference.
In Naples, where legend says there are 365 ways to eat baccalà, it’s more often than not served with tomato sauce flavoured with capers, olives and pine nuts.
In Livorno, Tuscany, it is preferred cooked with tomatoes, garlic and basil, while in Venice it’s often simmered slowly until the fish flakes are almost translucent.
Baccalà Mantecato (creamed dried codfish)
This recipe was shared by Connie Rotolo at her “Italian Easter” cooking class held at the Bottega Rotolo Norwood store.
Ingredients
300g de-salted cod*
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove
1 handful of flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, leaves and stalks separated
150ml grapeseed or sunflower oil, or more if necessary
2½ tbsp olive oil
2-3 anchovy fillets, chopped, or 1 tbsp salted capers, rinsed
* In Venice this recipe would be made with dried cod, which is sold already rehydrated, since it is used so often. If you buy dried cod, allow 5 days in water to rehydrate it, changing the water several times a day, then cook it as for salt cod.
Method
Cover cod with cold water in a saucepan and add bay leaf, garlic clove and parsley stalks. Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Skim surface, remove from heat and cover.
Let the fish cool in the water for 20 minutes, then drain. Flake the flesh carefully between your fingers to remove all the bones.
Put flaked flesh in the bowl of a food processor or an electric mixer with a paddle. Mix while slowly adding the oils in a thin stream, as for a mayonnaise, and beat together thoroughly until you have a creamy consistency. The amount of oil needed depends on the quality of the fish – its fat content – and the quantity of oil the fish absorbs.
Add chopped parsley leaves and anchovy, and season if necessary. Serve on a slice of grilled polenta, or crostini.
Tips: If you prefer a lighter cream, replace some of the oil with cooking water. If you don’t have an electric mixer, use a wooden spoon and mix vigorously in one direction while adding the oil.
A limited amount of de-salted cod as you would find in a market stall in Venice or Naples has been air-freighted from Italy for Easter and is available at Bottega Rotolo Norwood and Hyde Park.
Serves 6
