Baccalà Mantecato recipe

Baccalà Mantecato, or creamed cod, is a typical Venetian dish and is prepared with a type of cod of Norwegian origin and accompanied by polenta, possibly white one or traditional polenta from Marano. It can be accompanied by polenta croutons which is certainly the most suitable version for an appetizer, or accompanied by polenta as a main dish. But also simply with croutons. And since we are in the Veneto region as a wine pairing, I would choose Prosecco Extra Dry or the most precious, or better, less common Moscato Fior d’Arancio, slightly sweet sparkling wines both go well with Baccalà Mantecato for an aperitif. While if you use it as a main dish, accompany it with a slightly more complex Soave white wine and maybe with an aged one. I would accompany it with Soave Salvarenza Cru by Gini. I love the idea.

Ingredients for 4/5 people:

500 g of salt cod (stockfish)
250 ml of extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic
½ lemon
Fresh parsley
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Soak stockfish in cold water for 24 hours, often changing the water, after which it should be boned. Start cooking the cod for about 25/30 minutes, starting with cold water with the garlic. Place it in a bowl as soon as you remove it from the water. To obtain the creaming, it should be worked with a ladle for a long time, gradually adding the olive oil, like mayonnaise, salt, pepper, a little lemon juice, and finely chopped parsley. The alternative is to pass it through a sieve with the help of a scoop. If necessary, add the cooking water to mix it better. Appropriate to avoid the blender.

You may add a drop of cream or milk to make it creamier, and honestly, the taste is delicious, but it turns out to be a bit heavier, and the original recipe does not provide for it. An easy-to-prepare dish, it sates quickly, and it tastes sublime.

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