Baccala Alla Vicentina (Vicenza-Style Cod)
Submitted by donna
Baccalà alla Vicentina is Vicenza’s legendary slow-baked stockfish: cod rolled with anchovies, garlic, parsley, and Parmigiano, then braised low and slow in milk and olive oil until fork-tender.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
1 hrsCOOK
4 hrsREADY
5 hrsThis dish is so important to Vicenza that they have a brotherhood dedicated to preserving the recipe. Seriously.
Dried stockfish gets soaked for a full day, then each piece is spread with a pungent mix of anchovies, garlic, and parsley, dusted with Parmigiano-Reggiano, and rolled into tight bundles.
Sliced into thick rounds and coated in seasoned flour, the rolls nestle into a roasting pan under a blanket of sautéed onions, get bathed in milk and olive oil, and then braise low and slow for four hours.
The result is impossibly tender cod in a rich, silky sauce that tastes like centuries of Italian tradition on a plate.
Chef Tips
- Soak salted stockfish in cold running water for at least 24 hours, washing each piece individually every 8 hours. This is non-negotiable.
- Use fresh or defrosted frozen anchovies, not the oil-packed tinned kind. The flavor is cleaner and blends better with the parsley-garlic mixture.
- Bake at a very low temperature and turn the fish occasionally. The long, gentle braise is what breaks down the cod into that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Add olive oil during baking if the pan looks dry. The fish should never be sitting without liquid or it will toughen.
Ingredients
Directions
Cod should be cleaned, skinless and boneless. Anchovies should be fresh or defrosted frozen.
Sauté onions in oil until transparent. if using salted stockfish, pre-soak in cold running water for at least 24 hours, and wash pieces individually every 8 hours.
In a bowl, mix the parsley, garlic and anchovies. With a fork, spread some of the mixture on each piece of fish, sprinkle with cheese and roll up. Slice rolls into pieces about 1½ inches wide and coat in flour mixed with a little cheese and pepper. Shake off excess.
Place fish bits in an oiled shallow roasting pan and cover with sautéd onions. Season with salt and pepper, add milk and bake in oven preheated to 140C(275F) for 4 hours, turning fish occasionally and adding oil if necessary. Remove from oven, top with more parsley and serve immediately.
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