Chick Peas & Baccalà - Recipe


























The Baccalà is Cod Fish preserved in salt.



Thus the first thing to do is to soak it in cold water for a couple of days, changing water often.


The finger food of the photo above is composed by two traditional Italian recipes: 
Baccalà Mantecato alla Veneziana
Panissa Ligure

Plus a cracker made with puree of boiled chicke peas and starch.


SALTED CODFISH “MANTECATO” VENETIAN STYLE


Ingredients for 6 :

1 kg (2.2 Lb) salted codfish
20ml ( 1 cup) milk
2 garlic cloves
2 spoons chopped fresh parsley
Extra virgin olive oil as much needed
salt and pepper

Put the codfish into a casserole dish, cover with water and milk  and put over heat. As soon as it starts to boil, skim and remove the froth, turn off the heat and leave the codfish for 15/20 minutes in the covered pot, and then drain. In case the fish is not tender, boil it for 10 minutes more minutes. As ready, remove its skin, open it up, remove the bones and then crumble the meat, putting it in a bowl-like container. Mix and beat the fish hard with a wooden spoon and pour in a thin thread of olive oil ( you can use an immersion mixer) . Continue to beat always in the same direction (as for the maionaise) until the fish has all been well combined. It should become white and creamy. At this point, add as much oil as the fish absorb. Add salt, pepper, finely chopped garlic. Serve cold.


Optionally you can add a mashed boiled potato, or some milk/cream  to the fish "dough or/and cream " to have a suitable consistence.


Once the Baccalà Mantecato is ready, put it in a pastry bag to pipe it out on the Panissa.


PANISSA


Ingredienti:
300  gr ( 10 oz) chick peas flour
1 Lt ( 4 cups) water
30 gr ( 1oz) extra virgin oliv oil
Salt

Put the chick peas flour in a large bowl and start to “temper” it pouring lukewarn water whilemixing with a wisk, avoiding lumps. At the end, pass the mixture through a thin sifter.
Mix in the estra virgin olive oil and let it rest for 2 hours.
After this time, add the salt. Pour it in a casserole and cook on low heat for  60 - 80 minutes, like a Polenta.
Pour the mixture in a greased flat container, level the surface with a spatula and let it sit at room temperature until firm and compact ( better to the next day).
Un-mould the Panissa and cut it.

For this finger food, cut the Panissa in squares, brush slightly with extra virgin olive oil and bake at 180° - 350 F for about 15 minutes, until a crispy crust forms.


CHICK PEAS CRACKERS

Ingredients:
100 gr ( 3 oz)) boiled chick peas with 100 ml ( 3 oz) of their cooking water
15 gr ( 1/2 oz) corn starch
Salt
Super fine chopped rosemary

Put the corn starch in a large bowl and pour slowly some the chickpeas water avoiding lumps.
Put the boiled chickpeas in a blender with the remaining water and mix until thin and smooth.
Mix the two preparations.
Add salt and a little chopped rosemary.
With a spatula, brush the mixture on a silicon sheet, giving to it irregular shapes.
Bake at 200° c - 400 F for about 8 minutes or until golden and crispy.


ASSEMBLING:

Pipe some Baccalà Mantecato on each squared Panissa.
Garnish with one boiled chick pea and a chick pea cracker. 

Comments