baccalà mantecato
{{Short description|Venetian appetizer}}
{{Italics title}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Baccalà mantecato
| image = " 13 - ITALY - Cicchetti Venetian cuisine appetizers restaurant ( not are tapas are ciccheti of Venice) in this pics Baccalà mantecato (Cod).jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Two cicheti with baccalà mantecato on polenta served in a bacaro in Venice, Italy
| alternate_name =
| country = Italy
| region = Venice
| creator =
| course = Antipasto (Italian course)
| type =
| served =
| main_ingredient = Stockfish, garlic, olive oil
| variations =
}}
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
{{blockquote|text={{langx|it|(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) |multiline=yes |author=Pellegrino Artusi, La scienza in cucina e l'arte di mangiar bene, 1891 |source={{quote without source |date=May 2024}}}}
Baccalà mantecato was created during the 18th century in Venice.{{cite web |title=Baccalà mantecato, a Venetian delicacy |url=https://www.visitvenezia.eu/en/venetianity/flavours-of-venice/baccala-mantecato-a-venetian-delicacy |website=Visit Venezia |access-date=13 May 2021 |language=en}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Scavo |first1=Rosemarie |title=Baccalà Mantecato |url=https://www.italymagazine.com/recipe/baccala-mantecato-0 |access-date=13 May 2021 |work=ITALY Magazine |date=4 April 2017 |language=en}} Querini and his crew learned how to salt cod from local fisherman. They brought back stockfish to Venice, helping to popularize the fish.{{cite web |last1=Marchiori |first1=Luca |title=Baccalà Mantecato Recipe - Great Italian Chefs |url=https://www.greatitalianchefs.com/recipes/baccala-mantecato-recipe |website=Great Italian Chefs |access-date=13 May 2021}}
In 2001, the city of Venice created the Brotherhood of Baccalà Mantecato to preserve and promote the dish. It is commonly served at Venetian bars and is also a dish families serve at Christmas.
The dish and variations
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.{{cite web |last1=Davies |first1=Emiko |title=Baccalà Mantecato Recipe on Food52 |url=https://food52.com/recipes/23919-baccala-mantecato |website=Food52 |access-date=13 May 2021 |language=en-us}} The fish is poached in water or milk with garlic. 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. Lidia Bastianich adds potato to the fish during the whipping process.{{cite book |last1=Bastianich |first1=Lidia |title=Lidia's mastering the art of Italian cuisine : everything you need to know to be a great Italian cook |date=2015 |location=New York |isbn=978-0385349468 |pages=101–102 |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25241495-lidia-s-mastering-the-art-of-italian-cuisine|access-date=13 May 2021}}
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.
See also
{{Portal|Italy|Food}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [https://www.saveur.com/story/food/first-fish-in-this-years-feast-creamy-appetizer/ "The First ‘Fish’ in This Year’s Feast Is a Creamy Appetizer"] from Saveur