Baccalà mantecato
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| Course | Antipasto (Italian course) |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Venice |
| Main ingredients | Stockfish, garlic, olive oil |
Baccalà mantecato (also spelled bacalà mantecato), meaning 'whipped salt cod spread' or 'creamed cod', is a Venetian appetizer (antipasto) made with dried cod (stockfish).
History
[edit]Italian: (Comunque sia, è un piatto che merita tutta la vostra attenzione perché il baccalà trattato in codesta maniera perde la sua natura triviale e diventa gentile in modo da poter figurare, come principio o tramesso, in una tavola signorile)
(Be that as it may, it is a dish that deserves all your attention because the codfish treated in this way loses its trivial nature and becomes gentle so that it can appear, as a beginning or a continuation, on a noble table)
— Pellegrino Artusi, La scienza in cucina e l'arte di mangiar bene, 1891, [This quote needs a citation]
Baccalà mantecato was created during the 18th century in Venice.[1] However, the use of salt cod in Venetian cuisine was first introduced in the 15th century by Pietro Querini, who was shipwrecked on the Norwegian island of Røst.[2] Querini and his crew learned how to salt cod from local fisherman. They brought back stockfish to Venice, helping to popularize the fish.[1][3]
In 2001, the city of Venice created the Brotherhood of Baccalà Mantecato to preserve and promote the dish.[1] It is commonly served at Venetian bars and is also a dish families serve at Christmas.[2][4]
The dish and variations
[edit]The recipe uses stockfish, with salt cod being the most common. The simplest version of the recipe consists of the cod, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper.[5] The fish is poached in water or milk with garlic.[3][5] After poaching, it is deboned, if necessary. The fish is then broken up in a bowl and whipped, with olive oil, into a fluffy texture similar to mousse.[5] Lidia Bastianich adds potato to the fish during the whipping process.[4]
The finished spread may be topped with chopped raw garlic, parsley, white pepper, or nutmeg. Baccalà mantecato is commonly served atop sliced stirato or grilled or pan-fried polenta. One variation on the dish includes poaching with lemon and bay leaf, rather than garlic, while others poach the fish in milk and water.[5]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Baccalà mantecato, a Venetian delicacy". Visit Venezia. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ a b Scavo, Rosemarie (4 April 2017). "Baccalà Mantecato". ITALY Magazine. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ a b Marchiori, Luca. "Baccalà Mantecato Recipe - Great Italian Chefs". Great Italian Chefs. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ a b Bastianich, Lidia (2015). Lidia's mastering the art of Italian cuisine : everything you need to know to be a great Italian cook. New York. pp. 101–102. ISBN 978-0385349468. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b c d Davies, Emiko. "Baccalà Mantecato Recipe on Food52". Food52. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
External links
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