Baccala' Campagnolo

My nonna used to make this dish around Christmas time. I can still taste the flavor and smell the wonderful aroma from this recipe....even after many, many years!

Christmas Cookies Recipes:

Ingredients

For 2 Person(s)

For the Baccala`:

4 thick pieces of baccala'- about 2.5 to 3 inches long by about an inch thick (or as close to 1 inch as you can get)
all purpose flour for coating
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped tomatoes (very ripe if using fresh)
2 chopped garlic cloves, (according to taste)
fresh parsley
pinch of hot pepper
1 teaspoon capers
12 Gaeta olives
salt and pepper to taste (but be aware you might not need any!)

Directions

After baccala' has been soaked, rinsed and cut into the 4 pieces required for this recipe, it has to be patted down with paper towel to absorb extra moisture.
Roll baccala' pieces in flour and set aside.
In saute' pan, heat olive oil.
Add baccala' and saute' until golden on both sides.
Remove from pan and add chopped garlic to the hot pan.
When garlic is golden, add chopped tomatoes and pinch of hot pepper.
Let it simmer for a few minutes only.
Add baccala' back to the pan plus the rinsed capers and olives.
Cover and let it simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, turning baccala' once.
Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed (salt and pepper)
Sprinkle fresh, chopped parsley over the baccala' before serving.

Recipe Notes

Make sure the sauce does not dry up too much. Also, if your baccala' is thicker than normal, allow to cook a little longer. You'll know when it's done when it flakes when you poke it with a fork. I serve this over polenta. Enjoy!