BACCALÀ
ALLA VICENTINA

DRIED COD IN SAUCE VICENZA STYLE

This is the Friday meal in Veneto, one of the symbolic dishes of the region made from ‘poor’ ingredients. It must be served with polenta! In Venice, three good pinches of ground cinnamon are added … The real recipe is made with dried cod, but if you can’t find any, it is also very good with salt cod.

SERVES 6 PREPARATION TIME: 30 MINUTES COOKING TIME: 2 TO 4 HOURS

1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) rehydrated or desalted cod

3 anchovy fillets in brine, or 6 anchovy fillets in oil

2 onions, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for greasing

1 garlic clove, quartered

1 handful of flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves, chopped

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) milk

50 g (1³/₄ oz) parmesan cheese, grated

200 g (7 oz/1¹/₃ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

THE POLENTA

2 litres (70 fl oz/8 cups) water

2 teaspoons coarse salt

500 g (1 lb 1 oz/2²/₃ cups) polenta (cornmeal)

To make the polenta: Bring the water to the boil, add the salt, then add the polenta in a stream and whisk for 2–3 minutes to prevent lumps from forming (follow the instructions on the packet). Stir frequently. The polenta should be quite liquid, if not, gradually add more boiling water. Cook for about 1 hour (or according to packet instructions if you are using a quick-cooking polenta).

Preheat the oven to 130°C (250°F/Gas 1). Carefully remove all the bones from the cod. You can keep the skin which helps to bind the sauce. Cut the fish into pieces about 6 x 6 cm (2¹/₂ x 2¹/₂ inches) and dry them with paper towels. Desalt the anchovies (rinse briefly under cold water) and remove the bones.

Sauté the onions gently until translucent in a saucepan in the oil, then add the garlic and anchovies and melt them into the oil, crushing them with a fork. Off the heat, add the parsley, milk and parmesan and mix well. Taste before seasoning with salt.

Flour the pieces of cod, shake off the excess, and arrange them in a single layer in an oiled baking dish. Cover with the sauce. Bake the dish uncovered for 3–4 hours. If the top dries out, add more milk, but never stir! You can also cook the cod on top of the stove, covered, for 2–4 hours on low heat without mixing but shaking the pot instead. It will be even better if it is baked for 3 hours one day and 1 hour the next day. Serve hot with white or yellow polenta.