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Baccalà Mantecato

Baccalà mantecato is a fluffy, white cloud of salt cod that is soaked and prepared like a sauce. An iconic appetiser from Venice, you’ll find this delicious snack in the city’s cicchetti (the Venetian word for small snacks) bars, which are also known as bácari.

Prep Time: 10 mins (plus 24 hours soaking time)
Cooking Time: 10 mins
8 people

Used in this recipe

Ingredients

400g salt cod fillet
600ml whole milk
6 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
225ml Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, extra for drizzling
2 tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Sgagliozze to serve

Method

Soak the salt cod in cold water for 24 hours, changing the water every 8 hours. Drain.
Place the fish in a saucepan with the milk, peppercorns and bay leaf. Bring to the boil and simmer very gently for about 10 minutes. Take off the heat, cover and leave for another 10 minutes.
On a low speed, add the oil little by little as if making mayonnaise. Once the oil is finished, the baccalà should be light and fluffy.
Season to taste and leave to cool. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
Serve on top of the sgagliozze, drizzled with Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil and garnished with parsley.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

From £6.99

Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a distinctive, rich and fruity flavour that beautifully complements fresh ingredients. Perfect for sauces, marinades, drizzling and dipping, it’s a versatile addition to everyday cooking.