Bagna Cauda | Donna in Piedmont
Recipe – Bagna Cauda
Anchovy and Garlic sauce with fresh vegetables
Piemontese cuisine does not use garlic in many recipes, however, in the recipes that call for garlic, they don’t mess around. Husbands will ask their wives if it okay if they order a dish with garlic in it, or better yet, they agree to both eat the same dish so they don't offend each other with their breath.
Bagna Cauda dish is served in autumn and winter when people have time to gather. It is typically served as an appetizer, but for a festa it can be the main attraction. Restaurants often serve the vegetables on the plate with the sauce drizzled on top, but at home the oldest table cloth is used so dripping doesn't matter and the warm bowl is placed in the middle of the table for all to share.
The history of this dish illustrates the proximity and cross pollination of cuisine between Liguria and Piemonte. The Piemontese would trade red wine, salami and cheese for Ligurian olive oil, olives and salted fish.
Best served with a fruity and aromatic wine like Barbera whose acidity can stand up nicely to the richness of this dish.
12 cloves of garlic – chopped
12 anchovies - clean, dry & remove bones – roughly chop
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
Lots of sliced vegetables raw like fennel, Jerusalem artichokes, red peppers, heart of escarole or endive, green onions, celery or carrots.
Sliced Boiled vegetables like cardoons, cauliflower, leeks, turnips and whole potatoes
Other options for dipping are slices of hearty bread, fried polenta or even slices of roasted squash or pumpkin.
This recipe is for four people – to increase the quantity the rule is 4 cloves of garlic, 2 anchovies, 1/2 cup of olive oil and between one half and one tablespoon of butter per person
The Preparation:
On the lowest possible heat melt the butter with one cup of oil and all of the garlic. Stir regularly for approximately 30 – 40 minutes until the garlic melts into a white crème. Be careful not to allow the garlic to brown by overheating.
Use the time to prepare the dipping vegetables. When boiling or roasting vegetables keep the varieties separate so their flavors don’t become confused. It is also better to under cook the vegetables slightly so they don’t fall apart when dipping.
Add the anchovies and the remaining oil and stir until the anchovies dissolve. The color will become brown and the aroma strong, about 30 minutes.
Serve in a fondue pot or on a warming tray to keep the sauce warm. Display the vegetables in bowls around to pot....garlic, anchovy, liguria, Piedmont, Piemonte