Aperitifs and conviviality Piedmontese cuisine Appetisers Italy Piedmont

Bagna càuda

Name: Bagna càuda
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 persone
Cuisine: Italy, Piedmont
Ingredients: 4 heads Garlic; 10 pcs Salted anchovies; 500 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 1 knob Butter; 500 ml Milk; q.b. Mixed vegetables

Bagna càuda is one of Piedmont's signature dips: garlic, salted anchovies and oil slowly cooked and served hot with raw and cooked vegetables.

Preparation 25 min

Cooking 25 min

Total time 50 min

Servings 4 persone

Difficulty Facile

Seasonality

Spring Summer Autumn Winter

Celebrations and special occasions Dinner with friends For sharing Traditional

Ingredients

For 4 persone

For the bagna càuda

Garlic about one head per person according to the traditional recipe

4 heads

Salted anchovies desalted and cleaned

10 pcs

Extra virgin olive oil approximately

500 ml

Butter

1 knob

To soften the garlic

Milk optional; the original version does not require it

500 ml

To serve

Mixed vegetables raw and cooked, seasonal

q.b.

Before you start

You will need

Saucepan

Chopping board

Knife

Bagna càuda warmers

Contains or may contain: Pesce, Latte.

Method

Prepare the garlic

If you would like a milder version, peel the cloves, cover them with milk and cook them slowly until soft. Drain them. For the more traditional version, skip this step.

The source specifies that cooking in milk is not part of the original version.

Chop the garlic

Finely chop the softened or raw garlic, depending on the version chosen.

Cook the dip

Place the garlic, a little oil and the desalted anchovies in a saucepan. Cook very slowly, stirring, without allowing the oil to boil, until the mixture becomes smooth.

Finish

Remove from the heat, add a knob of butter and stir.

Serve

Serve in individual bagna càuda warmers and accompany with seasonal raw and cooked vegetables.

Good to know

Tips

The cooking must be gentle: the oil must not fry. If you want to retain a more traditional flavour, avoid milk and cream.

Variations

To soften the intensity of the garlic, some modern versions call for pre-cooking it in milk or adding cream, variations that the source distinguishes from the original recipe.

Storage

It can be stored in the refrigerator for 1 day and reheated very gently without bringing it to the boil.

History and territory

Behind this recipe

Bagna càuda is one of the most recognisable dishes of Piedmontese cuisine. Piemonte Italia documents the version made with garlic, salted anchovies, oil and butter, served hot with vegetables.