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Baccala Mantecato is a classic, whipped salt cod spread recipe from Venice–great for get-togethers and holidays!
While traditional salt cod recipes like baccala in tomato sauce with potatoes, baccala salad and even baccala fritters may be well-known among Italian Americans like myself, baccala mantecato is likely the one that’s missing from your arsenal of salted fish recipes.
This thick, whipped salt cod spread is signature Venetian cuisine. I enjoyed it several times during trips to Venice in their famous bacari, wine bars that serve the famous cicchetti, Venice’s version of Spanish tapas. There, it’s served on or with grilled or seared polenta crostini, which is fabulous!
More often than not, though, I simply pair this dish with toasted bread, crackers, grissini or crudité and serve as a dip/spread. This works best for large gatherings and the rich, buttery-ness of the spread works well with simple dippers.
Baccala Mantecato is nothing more than milk-poached, cured cod gently combined with a touch of garlic and the finest extra virgin olive oil–a simple recipe indeed! My take on it also calls for some fresh lemon juice to round out its rich, buttery flavors with some brightness and acidity.
The olive oil emulsifies with the rest of the ingredients creating a smooth, rich spread with incredible flavor–a great addition to holiday antipasti on Christmas Eve, Easter or any get-together where dipping and spreading are on the menu.
In southern France and Liguria in northwest Italy, there are similar versions of this recipe called brandade de morue and brandacujun respectively, that include cooked potatoes whipped together with the cod. They’re a bit more mellow in flavor and creamier in texture, but also fabulous.
By the way, if dips are your thing, be sure to check out Baked Artichoke Parmesan Dip and Crab and Spinach Dip!
Mantecato?
I love the name of this dish. There’s a not very well-known culinary term in Italian cooking called mantecare, which literally means “to beat/to whip/to stir” and refers to the act of stirring quickly and vigorously to create a creamy, emulsified consistency. It’s often used to describe the final stage of making a risotto–when you stir quickly to incorporate grated cheese and butter to create one, unified creamy texture.
This technique is also used widely in finishing pastas, even if it probably hasn’t been named before. For example, I use it in my pasta with broccoli recipe when the grated pecorino cheese is quickly mixed into the rest of the dish to emulsify with and become one with the smashed broccoli sauce.
In this whipped baccala spread, the mantecare technique refers to the olive oil being gradually drizzled into the salted cod mixture to emulsify into one creamy spread or whipped emulsion, similar to making a mayonnaise or aioli.
Baccala
Despite the official name of this dish being baccalà mantecato alla veneziana, I should mention that the original, regional Italian recipe is actually made with stoccafisso, a.k.a., stockfish, an air-dried version of whole cod fish (which includes skin and bones) that does not contain any salt. (Venice is the one place in Italy where “baccala” actually means air-dried and not salt-dried, cod.) Stockfish is not nearly as accessible as baccala (plus, it takes 10 to 14 days to adequately rehydrate) and so this recipe is made with SALT-CURED baccala.
Check out my other baccala recipes for more information on the salted, cured cod fish and how to cook with it.
Hope you give this delicious salt cod spread recipe a try for your next gathering! It’ll be a unique addition to any antipasti menu and your guests will surely be impressed.
And, although my ancestors might be turning over in their graves as I write this–the leftovers will be the best bagel spread that you ever did indeed have! (Whitefish salad has nothing on baccala mantecato.) Mangia bene!
Main Ingredient Notes
To make this baccala mantecato recipe, we’ll need:
- Baccala (salted cod): Be sure to buy boneless and skinless salt cod and allow yourself a few days to soak it for rehydrating and desalting. Look for salted cod that’s clean and white with a firm texture and avoid any pieces that appear overly dry or are a bit yellow, which generally indicates rancidity.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: This is the time to use your very best extra virgin olive oil! The flavor will really shine through in this simple recipe.
- Garlic: Smashed garlic cloves are simmered along with the baccala in milk, tempering their sharpness, then mixed with the other ingredients. And raw minced garlic is folded into the spread as well. Keep in mind that raw garlic is very strong and tends to increase in intensity over time. I used a small amount so as to not overpower the overall dish. Alternatively, you can use more mellow mashed roasted garlic or garlic confit cloves in place of the raw garlic.
- Milk: The rehydrated baccala is slowly poached in whole milk until cooked. If you don’t have milk or prefer to keep this recipe dairy free, you can cook the fish in water.
- Black Peppercorns, Bay Leaves: Included in the simmering milk bath to add subtle flavor to the fish. If you have a sachet, use it to hold these ingredients as they need to be removed and discarded after cooking.
- Lemon: Though not a traditional ingredient in the classic mantecato recipe, I include some fresh lemon juice here as it adds a bit of brightness and acidity that the rich dish needs, in my humble opinion.
How to Make Baccala Mantecato
- Rehydrate and Desalt the Baccala: First, rinse the baccala well under running water to remove any surface salt. Then, soak it for 2 to 3 days to rehydrate it and pull most of the salt out of it. Immerse the baccala in cold water and refrigerate it, changing the water at least twice daily.
- Once the baccala has finished soaking, rinse it under cold running water and cut it down into 2-3” chunks. Then prep and gather the remaining ingredients.
- Cook the Baccala: Place the rehydrated baccala chunks in a pot and cover with milk. Add the smashed garlic cloves, peppercorns and bay leaves and stir lightly. Place pot over medium-low heat and bring to a light simmer/poach. Cook until the salt cod flakes easily, about 15 minutes or so.
- PRO-TIP: Place the peppercorns and bay leaves in a sachet if you have one as they will need to be removed and discarded later.
- PRO-TIP: Keep a close watch so that the milk does not boil over and burn!
- Strain the cooked baccala mixture and remove/discard the bay leaves and peppercorns. Examine the fish and remove/discard any residual silver skin or pin bones.
- Let the cooked fish/garlic cool slightly then transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Add fresh lemon juice, minced garlic and ground black pepper.
- Mix: Starting on low speed, blend the ingredients in the stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Increase the speed gradually to completely break down the baccala. Slowly and gradually drizzle the olive oil into the bowl while mixing.
- PRO-TIP: This is the time to use your best extra virgin olive oil! The flavor will really shine through in this simple recipe.
- Continue mixing until the baccala has been completely broken down into shreds and all the olive oil has been incorporated/emulsified into the mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Taste test and add salt as needed and that’s it. The baccala mantecato is ready!
More Italian Fish and Seafood Antipasti
- Fried Smelts
- Baccala Fritters
- Fried Butterflied Shrimp
- Crispy Baked Calamari (No Frying Required!)
- Mussels Marinara in Red Sauce (Zuppa di Mussels)
- Baked Stuffed Clams Oreganata
- Shrimp Oreganata in White Wine Lemon Butter
- Clams Posillipo in Red Sauce (Zuppa di Clams)
- Spicy Garlic Shrimp
- Spicy Sautéed Calamari (Not Fried)
Frequently Asked Questions
Dried, salted cod is actually not too hard to come by. I found some in the refrigerated case of the seafood department at my local grocery store, but many fishmongers and markets will sell it shelf-stable at room temperature. As it gets closer to Christmas Eve (when demand for it is high), I sometimes see it being sold pre-soaked! Most Italian or Portuguese specialty markets will carry it year-round. I even found it available on Amazon!
Just be sure that it is boneless and skinless when you purchase it.
Look for salted cod that’s clean and white with a firm texture and avoid any pieces that appear excessively dry or thin or are a bit yellow, which generally is a sign of progressing rancidity. Ideally, the fish should have some flexibility. And, while thick baccala filets are best for recipes where they’re braised or served in whole pieces, like Baccala Livornese, that’s not as important for this recipe since the fish meat will be whipped into shreds for the baccala dip.
Once the baccala has soaked for 2 days or so, check if it is sufficiently desalted by taste-testing a bit of the soaking water. If it seems really salty, change the water again and let it soak a bit more. Keep in mind that you can always add salt to the recipe later, but you cannot fix salty cod once it has been mixed with other ingredients. Be patient and allow yourself enough time for this soaking process.
You can also check the salt cod by pinching a bit of its flesh see if it’s softened.
I use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment to make this recipe. It mimics the original way of making the recipe with a mortar and pestle and maintains the character of the baccala, creating a shredded texture as opposed to a smooth, pureed consistency, which is what would happen if a food processor is used. (The original fibers stay more in tact.)
Yes. The texture will be different, but you can make this whipped baccala spread with fresh cod instead of salted cod. Just skip the first step of soaking and rehydrating the baccala and start with the cooking step.
TOP TIPS FOR BACCALA MANTECATO
- Baccala: Buy boneless and skinless salt cod and allow yourself a few days to soak it for rehydrating and desalting. Look for salted cod that’s clean and white with a firm texture. Avoid any pieces that appear overly dry or are a bit yellow, which generally indicates rancidity.
- Garlic: You can add more raw minced garlic to the mix if desired. But keep in mind that raw garlic is very strong and tends to increase in intensity over time. I used a small amount so as to not overpower the overall dish. Alternatively, you can use more mellow mashed roasted garlic or garlic confit cloves in place of the raw garlic.
- Salt: Don’t mix any salt into the mixture until you have done a taste test. The amount of residual salt in the baccala is unpredictable and can vary from batch to batch. You may find that you don’t actually need any salt. I used 1¼ tsp fyi.
- Olive Oil: This is the time to use your best extra virgin olive oil! The flavor will really shine through in this simple recipe.
- Recipe Variations:
- Black, Oil-Cured Olives/Capers: Both of these ingredients would be so good in the whipped salt cod spread. They both are very salty, though, so add them judiciously and taste test for salt along the way.
- Caper Juice: Use some caper juice in place of lemon juice and salt for increased brininess, But add it a little at a time due to its saltiness. Start with half the amount of lemon juice and go from there.
- Dairy–Free Option: If you don’t have milk or prefer to keep this recipe dairy free, you can cook the fish in water.
- Serving: In Venice, where this dish originated, baccala mantecato is served with polenta crostini, which is fabulous! (See photos above.) I usually pair it with toasted bread, crackers, grissini or crudité and serve as a dip/spread. This works best for large gatherings.
- Leftovers: Leftovers hold up really well for up to about 5 days. It’s best to bring the spread to room temperature before serving.
I hope that you are enjoying my Italian food blog and all of my Italian recipes and Italian-American recipes!
If you’ve tried this Baccala Mantecato recipe, please let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
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Baccala Mantecato ~ Whipped Salt Cod Spread
Equipment
- Colander or Strainer
Ingredients
- 1 pound skinless and boneless baccala/dried salt cod fish (1 pound dried weight)
- 3 cups whole milk (or as needed to cover the baccala in pot)
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed with a knife
- 9-10 black peppercorns
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp minced or grated raw garlic
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil + more for serving
- Salt as needed (See NOTES.)
- Optional garnish: chopped chives, flat-leaf parsley or green parts of green onions
Instructions
- REHYDRATE & DESALT THE BACCALA: First, rinse the baccala well under running water to remove any surface salt. Then, soak it for 2 to 3 days to rehydrate it and pull most of the salt out of it. Immerse the baccala (can be cut down into smaller pieces) in a large bowlful of cold water to cover by a couple inches, cover and place it in the refrigerator. Ideally, prop it up on something, like a small, upside-down bowl, in the soaking container so the salt, as it dissolves off the fish, sinks to the bottom, and doesn’t remain in contact with the fish. Change the water at least twice daily.1 pound skinless and boneless baccala/dried salt cod fish
- Once the baccala has soaked for 2 days or so, check if it is sufficiently desalted by taste-testing a bit of the soaking water. If it seems really salty, change the water again and let it soak a bit more. Keep in mind that you can always add salt to the recipe later, but you cannot fix salty cod once it has been mixed with other ingredients. Be patient and allow yourself enough time for this soaking process.
- Once the baccala has finished soaking, rinse it under cold running water and cut it down into 2-3” chunks. (Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)
- COOK BACCALA: Place the rehydrated baccala chunks in a pot and cover with milk. Add the smashed garlic cloves, peppercorns and bay leaves and stir lightly. (Place the peppercorns and bay leaves in a sachet if you have one as they will need to be removed and discarded later.) Place pot over medium-low heat and bring to a light simmer/poach. Keep a close watch so that the milk does not boil over and burn!3 cups whole milk, 2 cloves garlic,, 9-10 black peppercorns, 2-3 bay leaves
- Cook until the salt cod flakes easily, about 15 minutes or so. (Actual time will vary and depends on the size of the fish pieces.) Skim the simmering liquid as needed during the cooking process.
- Reserve about ½ cup or so of the milk in case it’s needed later (you may not need it), then strain the cooked baccala mixture in a colander or strainer. Discard the bay leaves and peppercorns but leave the cooked garlic. Examine the fish and remove/discard any residual silver skin or pin bones.
- Let the cooked fish/garlic cool slightly then transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment or to a large bowl. Add fresh lemon juice, minced garlic and ground black pepper. DO NOT ADD ANY SALT YET!2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, ½ tsp minced or grated raw garlic, ½ tsp ground black pepper
- MIX: Starting on low speed, blend the ingredients in the stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Increase the speed gradually to completely break down the baccala. Slowly and gradually drizzle the olive oil into the bowl while mixing.1 cup + 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Continue mixing until the baccala has been completely broken down into shreds (see photos above) and all the olive oil has been incorporated/emulsified into the mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. If the mixture is very dry and needs a bit of moisture, add some of the reserved milk about 1 Tbsp at a time. (I did not need to do this.)(NOTE: In place of a stand mixer, you can use a wooden spoon, mortar and pestle (as in the traditional way of making pesto) or a food processor. A food processor, though, will puree the fish into a smooth consistency with less character and is not ideal or traditional. My choice after a stand mixer would be to use a wooden spoon and a large, sturdy bowl along with some elbow grease.)
- At this point, it’s important to taste test a small amount of the baccala dip to see if it needs any salt. The reason that we want to wait until now to add any salt is because all salt cods are salted differently and there is likely some salt left in the cod even after soaking it. You may find that the mixture does not actually need any additional salt. (I added 1¼ tsp to my mix, fyi.)
- Once you’ve taste tested and are happy with the level of seasoning, the baccala mantecato is finished. Transfer it to a serving dish and drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with some chopped chives or parsley, if desired. Serve with polenta crostini (as they do in Venice-see photo above) or with toasted bread, crackers, grissini or crudité and serve as a dip/spread. Buon Appetito!
Notes
- This recipe makes about three cups whipped salt cod. I figured on roughly 1/3 cup per serving but adjust accordingly. Since this dish will likely be served with other dishes, it would probably feed more than 8 people. You can easily double this recipe for a larger batch.
- Total recipe time does not include soaking time, fyi.
- The weight of the salt cod in the ingredient list is the dried weight before rehydrating, fyi.
- Be sure to buy boneless and skinless salt cod and allow yourself a few days to soak it for rehydrating and desalting. Look for salted cod that’s clean and white with a firm texture and avoid any pieces that appear overly dry or are a bit yellow, which generally indicates rancidity.
- If you don’t have milk or prefer to keep this recipe dairy free, you can cook the fish in water.
- You can add more raw minced garlic to the mix if desired, but keep in mind that raw garlic is very strong and tends to increase in intensity over time. I used a small amount so as to not overpower the overall dish. Alternatively, you can use more mellow mashed roasted garlic or garlic confit cloves in place of the raw garlic.
- This is the time to use your best extra virgin olive oil! The flavor will really shine through in this simple recipe.
- As indicated in the procedures above, don’t mix any salt into the mixture until you have done a taste test. The amount of residual salt in the baccala is unpredictable and can vary from batch to batch. You may find that you don’t actually need any salt. I used 1¼ tsp fyi.
- You can make this whipped salt cod spread up to two days in advance of serving, making it a great option to add to a holiday menu when there is so much else to do and make.
- Leftovers hold up really well for up to about 5 days. It’s best to bring the spread to room temperature before serving.
