Seafood · Veneto

Baccalà alla Vicentina – Authentic Venetian Recipe

Name: Baccalà alla Vicentina – Authentic Venetian Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 270 min
Total time: 300 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 800 g pre-soaked stockfish (stoccafisso), skin removed and cut into large pieces; 500 ml whole milk; 150 ml extra-virgin olive oil; 2 large white onions, thinly sliced; 6 salted anchovy fillets, rinsed and chopped; 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 50 g all-purpose flour, for dusting; Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; Soft or grilled polenta, to serve

Baccalà alla Vicentina is one of the great treasures of Venetian cuisine — a dish with centuries of history, born from the trade routes that brought Norwegian stockfish to the lagoon city. Despite the name, this recipe uses stoccafisso (air-dried cod), not salt-cured baccalà, slow-braised in whole milk until impossibly creamy and rich. Patience is the only secret ingredient you cannot skip.

30Prep (min)

270Cook (min)

300Total (min)

6Serves

MediumDifficulty

Baccalà alla Vicentina – Authentic Venetian Recipe

Ingredients

800 g pre-soaked stockfish (stoccafisso), skin removed and cut into large pieces
500 ml whole milk
150 ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 large white onions, thinly sliced
6 salted anchovy fillets, rinsed and chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
50 g all-purpose flour, for dusting
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Soft or grilled polenta, to serve

Method

Pat the soaked stockfish pieces dry with kitchen paper. Check carefully for any remaining bones and remove them with tweezers. Dust each piece lightly in flour, shaking off any excess.
Warm 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot (ideally a terracotta casserole) over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt and cook very gently, stirring often, for 15–20 minutes until completely softened and translucent — do not allow them to brown.
Add the chopped anchovy fillets to the softened onions and stir until they dissolve completely into the oil, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley.
Remove half the onion mixture from the pot and set aside. Arrange the floured stockfish pieces in a single layer on top of the onions remaining in the pot.
Spoon the reserved onion mixture over the top of the fish, covering it evenly. Pour the remaining olive oil and then the whole milk over everything. Season with a little pepper — taste before adding salt, as the anchovies contribute significant saltiness.
Bring slowly to a bare simmer over low heat. Cover the pot and cook on the lowest possible heat — the surface should barely tremble — for 4 to 4½ hours. Do not stir; instead, gently rotate the pot by the handles every 30 minutes to prevent sticking.
The dish is ready when the fish is completely tender and has absorbed much of the milk, creating a thick, creamy sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning. Rest for 10 minutes off the heat before serving.
Serve generous portions directly from the pot alongside soft polenta, spooning plenty of the creamy onion sauce over each serving.

Tips from the kitchen

💡 Pre-soaking is critical: purchase stockfish already soaked from a good fishmonger, or soak it yourself in cold water changed daily for 3–4 days. Under-soaked fish will remain tough and overly salty no matter how long you cook it.

💡 The 'no stirring' rule exists to protect the delicate flakes of fish — the gentle rotation of the pot is the traditional Vicentine method. A terracotta pot distributes heat the most evenly and gives the most authentic result.

💡 Leftovers improve significantly the next day once the fish has absorbed even more of the sauce. Reheat very gently over the lowest heat, adding a splash of milk if needed.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between baccalà and stoccafisso in this recipe?

Baccalà alla Vicentina is actually made with stoccafisso — stockfish that is dried in cold Nordic air without salt. Baccalà is salt-cured cod. Despite the dish's name, the people of Vicenza have always used stoccafisso; this is a historic quirk of local Venetian dialect where 'baccalà' came to refer to stoccafisso.

Can I make Baccalà alla Vicentina in a slow cooker?

Yes — it is actually well-suited to a slow cooker. Complete steps 1 through 4 on the stovetop, then transfer everything to the slow cooker, add the milk and olive oil, and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours. The result is equally creamy and the low, steady heat is ideal.

What polenta should I serve alongside this dish?

Tradition calls for 'polenta bianca' — white polenta made from white corn flour, which is typical of the Veneto region. It has a milder, slightly sweeter flavour that complements the rich, savoury fish without competing with it. Yellow polenta works well too if white is unavailable.