How to make Italian Baccala.
Guest Post: My name is Mireille and I live in New York, where I have been lucky to be able to experiment with the cultural foods of many countries.
My family background is as diverse as my city, with relatives spanning the globe from Haiti to Indonesia. I currently work freelance as a food writer and personal chef and use my blog to present authentic and fusion recipes from around the world. Lots of Indian, Caribbean and so many other cuisines are represented at Chef Mireille’s Global Creations (this blog no longer exists).
NY has one of the largest Italian communities, outside of Italy. Just about every other person you meet is at least ½ Italian. Most Italians are Catholic.
As a result, Christmas is one of the most important holidays to them and one of their traditions involves eating 7 different seafood dishes on Christmas Eve. Many of the dishes will differ from family to family, however, one dish is always included – Baccala.
Also known as Bacalao in other countries like Spain and Portugal, salted cod is popular in many countries. Usually originating as peasant food, it becomes part of the national culinary landscape in these countries.
Why not make this classic a tradition in your home this year? Italian Baccala can bring a taste of Italy to your dinner table.
If you are a seafood fanatic like I am, you may want to try this delicious tradition for your next Christmas meal. Who says you have to be Italian? Here are some ideas to complete the Feast of the Seven Fishes:
Italian Baccala
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
- 12 oz . dried salted cod boned
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 ⅓ cup tomatoes chopped
- ¼ cup parsley finely chopped, plus extra for garnish
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- juice of ½ lemon
Instructions
- Soak fish in water for 24 hours. Drain and put fresh water to cover. You can repeat this process if the cod is still too salty.
- Boil until fish is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Once it is cool enough to handle, flake by hand.
- In a large skillet, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes, until onions are translucent. Add tomatoes and wine and cook on medium-high heat for about 3-4 minutes, until alcohol has been cooked out.
- Add fish and parsley. Toss and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add pepper and lemon juice and toss to combine.
- Serve, garnished with more parsley, with crusty Italian bread or roasted potatoes.
Nutrition
Caroline
The recipe sounds great. When I was in Italy my uncle cooked like you on the stove. I just feel I have mention this. The baccala should be soaked for three days in large pot in refrigerator. Change water twice a day. If real thick might be 4 days. My father sold it in store.
Dari Bailey
This sounds interesting. If we just have fresh cod, could we salt it slightly and follow the recipe as written or does it need to be dry cod for some reason?
Chef Dennis Littley
this is recipe is for salted cod. You could use fresh cod but it wouldn’t be quite the same
Emily
Is this served hot or cold?
Chef Dennis Littley
this version is served hot
Linda
Can it be made with salted pollock?
Chef Dennis Littley
I don’t see why not
Pasquale Pat Pannelle
My grandmother would make me a salad with baccala in it. All I can remember is the baccala, lettuce, olive oil, lemon juice. I can not remember if she put anything else in it or not. This was in the 40s and early 50s until she passed in 1954. She was from Roccorama north of Naples. Would you have any recipes like this. She also made one with squid but I have no memory of what she put in it. She also made sauce with the squid in it.
Tony
We made a salad
Baccala
Vinegar cherry peppers
Red pepper flakes
Black oil cured olives
Sliced red onion
Garlic
Fresh parsley
Sue
The salad baccala traditional Naples recipe is with olive oil endive lettuce and rocket you can add tomatoes if you like but at Christmas we have spaghetti with a sauce made from tomatoes and pine nuts for a starter baccala is the one of the fish dishes we serve with eel fried and others
Jenelle Mannering
This is my first time making this dish. I a man Italian and have wanted to this. I ate the Spanish version but didn’t like to. So here goes.
Thomas Sarnelli
Have you ever tried it cold mixed with chopped octopus. Boil the octopus until tender. Let it cool, chop it fine. Add it to the mixture of Bacala, Tomato, Garlic, Parsley, onion. Cracked red Pepper. Sal, Lemon Juice… Fold together and serve with Crackers.. (Your choice, we use Ritz)… Excellent Appetizer.
Chef Dennis Littley
That sounds amazing Thomas, thanks for sharing.
Linda Cantave
I am Haitian,
We soak the salted fish in large container of water, you can add vinegar, some acid , but nothing else.
Amanda
I have seen you have to soak this for 24-48 hours, the recipe calls for only 4 hours. Is that in addition or is it only the 4 hours total for this dish?
Chef Dennis Littley
you are correct, it was a typo and should read 24 instead of 2-4
Jeannie Hollstein
We used to have it similar but mixed with homemade pasta. I haven’t had it since I was about 10years old.
robert A magno
I belong to a group on FaceBook called “Italian and nothing but Italian” One of the members is doing the Seven Fishes but is having problems getting all the salt out of the Baccala. She soaks it for 4 days but the fish is still salty. Any suggestions?
Chef Dennis Littley
I’ve only ever used water to soak baccala and never that long. It sounds like that person got some bad baccala.
Nick
This is a total guess but 4 days in salt water would be like a brine. Any salt that would come off would end up in the water then absorb back into the fish. Once that happens you can’t get it out… It’s salted internally. Have her try again, but keep changing the water.
Angela
My Italian grandmother used to soak her fish in milk
Milk
Tom
You need to regularly change the water. We’ve been having baccala for over 30 years. I usually change the water at least twice a day over a 4 day period and never had a problem. It will still be a tiny bit salty though. Good luck.
j. v. gambino
my nonna soaked the cod in fresh water and milk. she said it would remove the salt without “aging” the cod. not certain of that is valid or not, albeit, the packing salt was thouroughly gone.
Robert Pontarollo
Change the water every day and if 4 days is not long enough extend extra days until it’s not salty. I adore bakala and polenta. Bob
Trudy
Keep changing the water pour away and put fresh water every few hours
Peggy Robinson
Just tried this came out great
Chef Dennis Littley
thanks for the feedback Peggy! Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe
Betty Ann @Mango_Queen
Oh I love this Italian Baccala, doesn’t matter if there’s not an ounce of Italian in me. Also, my late mom used to make a cod fish dish with tomato sauce and peppers & let it simmered low fire.
I have to tell you though, that when we were in Rome we found a “Ristorante Quirino” near the Trevi fountain and walked in – they entertained us and fed us like we were ‘blood relatives’ ! So I will take this dish & any Italian food any day. Thanks for sharing, Chef Dennis!
Chef Dennis
I love Rome Betty Ann and for me it was a restaurant near the Spanish Steps where we feasted like royalty one Christmas Eve!
Barbara Bamber | justasmidgen
I love discovering new blogs and chefs.. I’ll be off to visit Chef Mireille shortly! I had been introduced to baccala by another blogger (the Bartolini Kitchens) and find dried fish a fascinating concept (we’re sort of Land-Locked here int he Prairies). I haven’t tried it yet.. but will look for it at the grocers now.
Chef Dennis
hi Barbara
thanks for stopping by and its always nice to try new things and see how others around the world eat! As crazy as it sounds you can probably get baccala online from an Italian grocer
Cheers
Dennis
Lee Willits
Portuguese stores in the Northeast also carry salted cod. “Portugalia” in Fall River, Mass. is where I get mine. Good Luck.
Carolyn
Oooo, would ya look at that! Something on Dennis’s site that I could actually eat! 🙂 Looks fantastic, thanks for sharing.
Mireille
glad you like it. Hope you try it soon 🙂
Mireille
Thanks so much for this opportunity.
Chef Dennis
You’re very welcome Mireille! thank you for creating such a delicious dish for your guest post!
Sherry wines
To get this particular fish is it sold in New York ? I live in Maryland and my dad actually was asking about Baccala^ he use to have this at his grandparents house which are from Italy. Could you please let me know where I can get Baccala^ for my dad thank you Sherry 😊
Chef Dennis Littley
I wish I knew where to tell you to shop, but being in Orlando I have no clue where to get it in your area. I would start Googling it to see what stores in your area carry it.
Nancy z.
You will find it an ant Latin American grocery. Korean grocery like Hmart in Georgia avenue
Even giant.
Diana Rose Esposito
Sherry, in most italian-american communities the dried cod is usually sold at your corner store. However, my mom, after many years of using the dried cod, made it with fresh cod, broccoli, hot stuffed peppers, lemons and an olive oil/garlic dressing. Really yummy and with much less work. (She makes her own hot stuffed peppers.) D