This four-person version follows Regione Piemonte’s traditional-product recipe. Weigh the oil in grams and prepare the salt-packed anchovies before cooking. Our serving suggestion is raw red and yellow peppers. We rate the recipe Medium because cleaning whole anchovies and keeping the heat gentle need care.
Bagna cauda with red and yellow peppers
Serves 4 · Difficulty Medium
Method
Rinse the salt-packed anchovies to remove excess salt, open them and remove the central backbone to obtain fillets. Peel the garlic and slice it very thinly.
For our serving arrangement, wash the red and yellow peppers, remove the stems and seeds, and cut them into strips for dipping. Keep them ready to serve raw.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over very gentle heat. Add the sliced garlic and let it soften without taking on color.
When the garlic begins to break down, add the anchovy fillets and pour in the extra-virgin olive oil little by little. Stir slowly with a wooden spoon over very low heat until the anchovies have completely dissolved. Do not let the oil fry; if the pan gets too hot, turn off the heat briefly, then resume gentle cooking.
Divide the hot sauce among small earthenware warmers, keeping it warm over a little flame. Bring the raw pepper strips to the table for dipping.
