Recipes: Roadtrip through Northern Italy, Part I
A cicchetti party!
Hi, everyone! Sous Chef Adam here. I’ve been reflecting on our time in Italy earlier this month, and found the bar culture in Venice to be particularly memorable. All food in Italy is delicious, but in Venice has its fair share of pricey tourist traps with unremarkable menus. Bacari are the perfect way around this. The name ‘bacari’ comes from the Venetian phrase ‘far bacara,’ meaning ‘to make noise,’ or ‘to party.’ These are little wine bars, or rustic taverns, serving tapas-style small bites (cicchetti), approachable local wines and spritzes. Oftentimes, you snack quickly, standing up, before moving on to the next location. You’ll find a wide variety of cicchetti all through Venice: toasted bread with shaved ham, fried meatballs, marinated sardines, whipped salt cod, or marinated vegetables. The list goes on. The dishes below are a Mabel Gray-twist on the cicchetti you find while walking the moody canal labyrinth of Venice at night.
At home, these recipes are perfect for a cocktail hour or potluck. You could create your own ‘spritz bar’ where guests choose between Cynar, Aperol or Campari and serve Venetian bites alongside. This sort of laidback hosting allows for more time for chatting and less fussing.
First - start with your favorite bakery. Grab the best focaccia, ciabatta or baguette you can find. We frequent Crispelli’s at the restaurant. This will be your vessel. Cut the bread into toast points, or small two bite pieces. Lay on a baking pan and drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt. Bake at 350° until toasty golden brown.
Baccalà with Pickled Onion and Castelvetrano
For baccalà montecato (whipped salt cod spread) - 4 servings
1 lb salt cod
High quality heavy cream (we prefer Guernsey dairy)
4 cloves garlic
