Italian Christmas Eve Baccala Cod with Pasta Marinara Sauce
Baccalà is a traditional Christmas Eve favorite in Italy—it's great as an appetizer or as a main course.
Always An Italian Favorite on Christmas Eve
Baccalà is salt cod (codfish that has been preserved by packing in salt and drying) sold by the slab, not the usual type of fish/
The truth is that well-cooked baccalà is a delight.
It's firm, slightly chewy, and not at all fishy in flavor.
The Best Italian Traditions At Christmas
Italian tradition on Christmas Eve, to eat fish and several different kinds.
In Italy salted cod is one of them.
Fresh Sauce
I put my plum tomatoes straight into a food processor.
This is a quick sauce for the pasta.
Tip
Lightly flour then brown the fish in cooking oil until browned on both sides.
The marinara sauce will stick to the fish better and compliment the fish flavors
History of Salted Cod
Cod was caught and dried by the Vikings as far back as 800 A.D.; in fact, it became the center of trade for northern Europe for many centuries.
It first arrived in southern Italy with the Normans around 999 A.D. and very quickly was absorbed into Italian cuisine.
The salt method of preservation meant that people living inland were able to enjoy salt-water fish all year-round.
In Italian, when fresh or frozen, Cod is known as merluzzo, if cured by air-drying it becomes stoccafisso (stockfish) and when salted it becomes baccala.
Italian Christmas Eve Baccala Cod with Pasta Marinara Sauce Pin
Preparing Baccala
To prepare baccala, the fresh fish is cut lengthwise, cleaned and has the backbone removed before being salted and air-dried.
Once cod was so abundant it saved millions from famine, but today, because of decades of overfishing, cod is not so abundant.
Now after years of managing the fish, it's leveling off.
If making homemade sauce this should be started when the cod is ready to fry.
Once the cod is fully unsalted cut it into one-inch chunks. Place some flour in a plastic bag and shake the cod into the flour.
In a medium size pan, heat oil, on medium heat, add minced garlic to olive oil.
Add cod, browning on both sides, fish will cook fast.
Add marinara tomato sauce. Simmer together very low heat, for 30 minutes. Cook the pasta of choice in a pot of salted water to your taste, we like it al dente. Drain, place some pasta on a plate. Top the pasta with some fresh ground pepper to taste, chopped fresh basil, a pinch of red pepper.
Pour sauce over pasta. Top with chunks of baccala, drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with fresh parsley and more sauce.
Print this out below for the full recipe and instructions.
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Italian Christmas Eve Baccala Cod with Pasta Marinara Sauce Pin
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Christmas Eve, Traditions, Catholic, Baccala, Salted Cod, Feast of 7 fishes
holiday, Christmas Eve, Fish
Italian
Yield: 8
Italian Christmas Eve Baccala Cod with Pasta Marinara Sauce
prep time: 25 minscook time: 30 minstotal time: 55 mins
This is a traditional meal on Christmas Eve Baccala is served with pasta. It is a salted cod fish.
ingredients:
Preparing the Salted Cod
Baccala:
This is the process we used.
1- pound dry salted cod, (baccala) fish. This fish will have to be soaked in water and then changed out many times in a 48 hour period and sometimes even up to 72 hours, checking and changing out the water until it is clear. If it's not clear, continue to change out water several more times during the day until the water is completely clear.
1 pound pasta perciatelli, linguine, angel hair or your favorite
1 recipe marinara sauce recipe or store bought
3 cloves minced garlic
Fresh chopped parsley and basil
pinch of red pepper flakes
olive oil
flour
instructions:
If making homemade sauce this should be started when the cod is ready to fry.
Once the cod is fully unsalted cut it into one-inch chunks. Place some flour in a plastic bag and shake the cod into the flour.
In a medium size pan, heat oil, on medium heat, add minced garlic to olive oil.
Add cod, browning on both sides, fish will cook fast.
Add marinara tomato sauce. Simmer together very low heat, for 30 minutes. Cook the pasta of choice in a pot of salted water to your taste, we like it al dente. Drain, place some pasta on a plate. Top the pasta with some fresh ground pepper to taste, chopped fresh basil, a pinch of red pepper.
Pour sauce over pasta. Top with chunks of baccala, drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with fresh parsley and more sauce.
calories
325
325
fat (grams)
6
6
sat. fat (grams)
4
4
carbs (grams)
9
9
net carbs
11
11
protein (grams)
8
8
sugar (grams)
4
4
Created using The Recipes Generator
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