Name: Baccalà Mantecato
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 300 g Dried stockfish (Prepared wet weight, including clean skin; not 300 g dry stockfish and not salt cod.); 225 ml Sunflower or peanut oil (For whipping; add only as much as the fish takes.); 75 ml Extra-virgin olive oil; 2 pieces Bay leaf; 0.5 piece Lemon (For the fish cooking water.); 8 g Salt (4 g for the polenta and up to 4 g for the fish water and final seasoning.); 0.5 g Black pepper; 4 g Flat-leaf parsley (Clean leaves, finely chopped, to finish.); 250 g White polenta cornmeal; 2,000 ml Water (1000 ml for the fish, enough to cover it in a small saucepan; 1000 ml for the polenta. Reserve 30 ml of fish cooking water before draining.)

Use stockfish, not salt cod. Add the oil in a fine stream and keep some small flakes rather than blending the fish completely smooth.

Make ahead Buy stockfish already soaked and keep it chilled until cooking. Whip close to serving and serve with freshly cooked polenta.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 40 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Medium

Baccalà Mantecato

Prep 25 min · Cook 40 min · Serves 4 · Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Skip to the method

4 servings

300 g10½ oz
Dried stockfishPrepared wet weight, including clean skin; not 300 g dry stockfish and not salt cod.Prepared wet weight, including clean skin; not 10½ oz dry stockfish and not salt cod.
225 ml1 cup
Sunflower or peanut oilFor whipping; add only as much as the fish takes.For whipping; add only as much as the fish takes.
75 ml⅓ cup
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 pieces2 pieces
Bay leaf
0.5 piece½ piece
LemonFor the fish cooking water.For the fish cooking water.
8 g1⅓ tsp
Salt4 g for the polenta and up to 4 g for the fish water and final seasoning.4 g for the polenta and up to 4 g for the fish water and final seasoning.
0.5 g¼ tsp
Black pepper
4 g4 g
Flat-leaf parsleyClean leaves, finely chopped, to finish.Clean leaves, finely chopped, to finish.
250 g1⅔ cups
White polenta cornmeal
2,000 ml8½ cups
Water1000 ml for the fish, enough to cover it in a small saucepan; 1000 ml for the polenta. Reserve 30 ml of fish cooking water before draining.4¼ cups for the fish, enough to cover it in a small saucepan; 4¼ cups for the polenta. Reserve 2 tbsp of fish cooking water before draining.

Equipment

Two saucepans
Colander
Wooden spoon or mixer with paddle
Whisk

Method

Bring the polenta water to a boil with 4 g salt. Whisk in the white cornmeal, lower the heat and cook for about 40 minutes, stirring regularly, until tender; follow the package time if longer.Bring the polenta water to a boil with 4 g salt. Whisk in the white cornmeal, lower the heat and cook for about 40 minutes, stirring regularly, until tender; follow the package time if longer.
Meanwhile put the soaked fish, including clean skin, in a small saucepan with its cooking water, half lemon, bay leaves and a little of the remaining salt. Bring to a boil and cook gently for about 20 minutes, until the fish separates into flakes.Meanwhile put the soaked fish, including clean skin, in a small saucepan with its cooking water, half lemon, bay leaves and a little of the remaining salt. Bring to a boil and cook gently for about 20 minutes, until the fish separates into flakes.
Reserve 30 ml cooking water, then drain. Remove the lemon, bay and any remaining bones. Mix the flesh and skin vigorously with a wooden spoon or a mixer paddle.Reserve 2 tbsp cooking water, then drain. Remove the lemon, bay and any remaining bones. Mix the flesh and skin vigorously with a wooden spoon or a mixer paddle.
Combine the two oils and add in a fine stream while whipping, stopping when the fish is soft and aerated. If it becomes too glossy, work in 5 ml reserved cooking water before adding more oil. Keep some small flakes. Season with pepper and remaining salt as needed; serve with polenta and parsley.Combine the two oils and add in a fine stream while whipping, stopping when the fish is soft and aerated. If it becomes too glossy, work in 1 tsp reserved cooking water before adding more oil. Keep some small flakes. Season with pepper and remaining salt as needed; serve with polenta and parsley.