Ingredienti / Ingredients
- BACCALA’:
- 1 kg dried salted cod - hydrated and soaked, ready for cooking
- 40 gr anchovies fillets in oil
- 30 gr parsley, chopped
- 2 medium white onions, chopped
- 1 glass extra virgin olive oil
- 20 gr 00 flour
- 1 glass skimmed milk
- 1 tsp salt
- A pinch of pepper
- POLENTA:
- 1 litre water
- 250 gr cornmeal
- 1 tbsp coarse salt
Preparazione / Instructions
Baccalà:
Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a pan, put the chopped onions and cook for few minutes, until they start to brown. Add the parsley, the anchovies and the salt. Brown for two minutes and take the pan off the heat.
Cut the cod in regular 5 cm pieces and flour the pieces.
Take a pan (not aluminium) big enough to hold two layers of cod. Pour half a glass of oil and arrange the first layer, top with half the onions, arrange the second layer of cod then add the onions, the remaining oil, the glass of milk and a pinch of pepper.
Cook in the covered pan over low heat for 2 hours. Make sure the fish does not stick to the pan…
Polenta
Pour the cornmeal into the boiling water and whisk for about 20 minutes. Add one tbsp of extra olive oil and cook for another 25 minutes.
Place the hot polenta on a wooden cutting board, let it cool and take its classical round shape … A beautiful tradition: CUTTING THE POLENTA USING A THREAD! Take a resistant cotton thread, slide it under the polenta then move upwards to cut the slice. A brilliant idea handed down by Grandma Lilly’s mum Emma!
Wine Princess suggests
This traditional recipe of the city of Vicenza should be paired with an intense white wine, medium-bodied with pleasant flavours and fruity tones, and a good minerality, such as “Quattrocento”, Sauvignon Blanc.
From the cellars of Cascina Zerbetta, a 7-hectar organic farming company located in Quargneto, between Asti and Alessandria, owned by Paolo Antonio Malfatti.
Who should drink it: Everyone! It’s a simple and lovely wine. Especially when paired with baccalà … its savouriness will “clean your mouth” and you’ll be ready for another bit of this rich plate!
When to drink it: Early autumn, not only with baccalà but also with medium mature cheese such as robiola and goat varieties … Delicious!
A wonderful opportunity: A tour in the Monferrato region to visit Cascina Zerbetta and discover this “simple” yet very pleasant wine from a real, traditional country farm!
God save Cascina Zerbetta!