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Baccalà alla Vicentina is one of the most singular dishes in all of Italian cuisine - a preparation that is paradoxically named baccalà (salt cod) but is actually made with stockfish (stoccafisso, air-dried rather than salt-cured cod), a naming confusion specific to the Vicenza area. The dish has been protected by a dedicated confraternity since 1987 and follows a strict procedure: pieces of pre-soaked stockfish are layered with thinly sliced onions, anchovy fillets, Parmesan, parsley, and flour in a heavy pot, covered in milk and olive oil, and then cooked at the absolute lowest possible heat for four to five hours, shaking the pot gently every so often but never stirring. The extraordinary long cooking transforms the fish into a tender, creamy, lightly bound mass that is served over soft polenta. This is patience cooking of the highest order.
Prep
30 min
Cook
270 min
Total
300 min
Servings
4 srv
Difficulty
Hard
Calories
380 kcal
For 4 serving(s)
Per serving
Ensure the salt cod has been pre-soaked in cold water for 24-48 hours, changing the water every 8 hours, until fully rehydrated and much of the salt removed. Pat dry and cut into large pieces.
Slice the onions very thinly. In a wide, flat-bottomed pot, layer a bed of half the sliced onions across the bottom.
Mix the flour with salt, white pepper, and grated Parmesan in a shallow dish. Dredge each piece of cod in the flour mixture and layer over the onions.
Tuck the anchovy fillets between and around the cod pieces. Scatter the remaining onions and chopped parsley over the top.
Pour the milk and olive oil over everything - the liquid should come just to the level of the fish. Do not stir.
Place over the absolute minimum heat, cover with a tight lid, and cook for 4-4.5 hours. Shake the pot gently every 30-40 minutes. The fish must never bubble or boil - it must barely shiver.
The baccalà is ready when it is completely tender and has absorbed most of the liquid into a creamy, slightly bound sauce. Serve immediately over warm soft polenta.
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