Baccalà – Norwegian Cod, Venetian Style

The citizens of Veneto are proud of their baccalà, a type of fish they prepare in many different ways. Whether served as “cicchetti” (chi-keh’-tee) appetizers or featured in special dishes, baccalà has become synonymous with the cuisine of Veneto. It is something you will discover when you travel with Palladio Tours.

Baccalà mantecato alla veneziana

Creamy and typical of “cicchetti” Veneziani

Baccalà alla Vicentina

The most famous of the traditional recipes

Baccalà alla Veneta

Prized above all others in southern Veneto

This love affair with baccalà had its origins in the 15th century, thanks a Venetian seafaring merchant, Pietro Querini. In 1431 he set off from Crete in a ship loaded with wine, spices and cotton. After a stop in Sandrigo, a port near Venice, his port of call was to be in Belgium. Unfortunately, he was driven north by a severe Atlantic winter storm, shipwrecked and saw his riches vanish.

Querini and only 11 of his crew of 68 survived the sinking but managed to reach the freezing island of Røst in an area known as Norway’s “untamed islands”.  There, he and his crew were cared for by the islanders who ate mainly codfish - fresh, salted or dried.

Traditional racks for the drying of cod (Gadus Morhua) in Lofoten, Norway

photo courtesy Lawrence Hislop; www.grida.no

Stranded for three months before they could gather the wherewithal for the overland journey home, they developed a taste for their discovery.  Astute mariners, they determined the dried version was indeed suitable for the necessities of a maritime state such as Venice.  Food that could be preserved during long voyages was a perfect solution.  After Querini recovered, he loaded as much of this dried fish as he could haul overland and made his way back to Venice.

Querini’s route from Sandrigo, to his shipwreck and overland return

In the following century, the Catholic Reform of the Council of Trento in 1563 forced people to abstain from meat for 200 days and recommended stockfish, or dried cod on Wednesdays and Fridays. This directive helped lead baccalà to ultimately become a popular, traditional dish on Venetian tables of all social classes. The cooking classes incorporated into our tour itinerary are a perfect time to learn the secrets of baccalà preparation.

Today, Italy remains the largest consumer of Norwegian ”Tørrfisk” in the world and the community of Røst has never stopped celebrating the surprising visit of Querini and his crew.  On the island one can admire a memorial stone, raised in 1932, exactly 500 years after the arrival of the Venetians.

Monument recognizing the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Querini in 1432