Christmas is just not the same without Baccala Mantecato alla Veneziana. Whenever my parents could find salt cod, we would enjoy it during the holiday season. I really didn’t know the full name of this dish until I was older. We knew it simply as baccala mantecato.
Baccala Mantecato alla Veneziana
For many years after we moved to the US, mamma couldn’t make the dishes we normally ate and enjoyed. We missed the familiar Italian tastes and aromas, especially during the holidays. Our recipes not only had unusual names but they also had ingredients that were unavailable and unknown in our small mid-western town.
Baccala needs to soak in water
In 1957 that all changed. Married friends of my parents moved from our tiny town in Italy to Chicago and best of all they were due to visit. My parents were ecstatic. They would see familiar faces and converse in Italian with them. It was six long years since they saw or spoke to an Italian — other than their children.
Now Remigio and Antonietta were coming, and they would be spending several days with us. Mamma loved to cook . . . . she wasn’t happy unless she was feeding someone. The heartier the appetite, the better she liked it. No one ever left our house hungry — if they did, it was not for my mamma’s lack of trying to feed them.
Christmas Bouquet for the Dining Room Table
Un bel tavolo
Mamma was like a butterfly flitting everywhere getting things ready. The glasses and dishes were sparkling. The table linens could have stood up by themselves for all the starch mamma soaked into them and she applied the iron with a vengeance until there wasn’t a wrinkle to be seen. It was important to her to have un bel tavolo { a nice prepared table}.
The day finally arrived.
It was November, but you’d think it was Christmas. Remigio and Antonietta brought my parents boxes and sacks of Italian goodies.
Baccala Mantecato alla Veneziana served on Polenta Crostini
My parents were speechless with the generosity of such overwhelming abundance. There was baccala; there was calamari, biscotti, and panettone. They had Italian cafe, cheeses, unsalted butter, Italian meats, polenta. They had Italian wines, but the hit with my papa was the grappa {a potent Italian brandy}. He loved grappa in his coffee, and it had been so many years since he’d had that luxury. Heavens! You’d think he’d won the lottery.
Baccala Mantecato alla Veneziana served with Polenta Crostini
That Christmas mamma made her baccala mantecato and we relished the dishes that were such a part of our Christmas when we lived in Italy.
Does it seem to you that the older we become the more we want to capture those special moments with family? Those days where the only things that mattered were that you had a warm house, good food on the table, and most of all love for each other. May this year bring you everything you wish for.
Alla prossima — We will feature polenta crostini in our next post.
- 1 pound dried salt cod
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 cup extra Virgin olive oil { you may need more}
- 2 bay leaves
- Freshly ground pepper
- Prepare the codfish by soaking in a pan filled with cold water and changing the water every few hours. Do this for at least 24 hours - it may take longer depending how dried the cod is. Cut the cod into pieces and place in a pan and cover again with cold water and add the bay leaves and 1/2 cup cream.
- Cover and bring to a boil with the lid slightly ajar. Cook at a steady boil for 20 minutes skimming any foam that comes to the top.
- Once the cod is soft but still holds it shape remove from the water. Discard the bay leaves.
- If the cod has skin and bones, now is the time remove them. Cut the cod into small pieces and put in a mixing bowl with the paddle or if you have an immersion had blender use it.*
- Add the garlic and start the electric mixer at low speed to break up the fish. At medium speed start adding the olive oil. Keep mixing and add the remaining 1/4 cup cream.
- You may need extra olive oil depending on the cod. The baccala should be a light color and have a whipped, mousse-like texture.
- Add freshly ground black pepper to taste. Salt if required. Garnish with Italian parsley.
- Serve on grilled slices of polenta, fresh slices of baguette, crostini, crudites, or crackers.
- *The immersion blender works like a charm. It breaks up the baccala and easily blends in the olive oil, garlic and cream.
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