Baccalà mantecato 🤤🤤 

The Baccala mantecato is an exquisite appetizer typical of Venetian cuisine, especially in Venice. It is a creamy emulsion based on soaked stockfish, first cooked in water and bay leaf and finally whipped with whisks, or 'creamed' with oil slowly; moment in which it turns into a pasty and soft consistency, with buttery creaminess, divine taste and scent! Traditionally served on the cicheti of the bacari of Venice; it is perfect to spread, or as tradition to the Venetian commands, to serve in Quenelle on polenta croutons. Inevitable for Christmas and New Year's Eve together with Vitello tonnato, Shrimp cocktail, Seafood salad, Marinated anchovies and Vol au vent! Do you want to prepare it at home? Here for you the Creamed Cod Recipe, with all the Tricks and Tips to make it perfect in terms of flavor and texture, just like in the best Venetian restaurants! Believe me it is divine and there will be applause!

Ingredients

300 gr baccalà, or stockfish already soaked without skin 

600 gr of water

150 gr of sunflower oil

about 130 gr of extra virgin olive oil with a very delicate flavor

2 bay leaves

peel of 1 lemon

black pepper

salt (to be evaluated at the moment)

PROCEDURE

First of all make sure that your cod has no thorns and skin, then put it in small pieces in a saucepan and cover with cold water (it must be completely immersed) usually the water is twice the weight of the fish. Then add the bay leaf to a thick cut lemon peel and bring to a boil with a lid and cook the stockfish for about 30 minutes, until it absorbs all the cooking liquid and is dry, very soft. As it dries, crush it with a fork so that it flakes into small pieces. Be careful that it is not dry, nor attached to the pot. Then transfer to a serving dish and let cool for 10 minutes, meanwhile add the oils together: Finally transfer the cod still hot (not boiling) in the bowl of the planetary mixer or in a container where you can use the electric mixer and with the help of electric whisks (no leaf, those to whip the cream) begin to 'stir' the cod at low speed adding the oil flush little by little. I recommend that you absorb the previous oil well before adding more and continue to whip at medium-high speed, stopping occasionally, until all ingredients are exhausted. Attention the oil may seem so much, but in reality it is not to have a full-bodied consistency like the original! However, it may not serve everything, this depends a lot on the previous cooking. So if you see that towards the end of the oil insertion your mixture is nice creamy, weigh the remaining oil; You can advance about 40 grams compared to the quantity indicated. Finally, the consistency must be creamy, pasty, creamy, compact not dry! Here is ready the creamed cod.