Italian
Garibaldi’s Bagna Càuda
The real Piedmontese idea is gloriously simple: warm olive oil, garlic, anchovies and butter, then start dipping vegetables and crusty bread into it. It is salty, garlicky, deeply savoury and not remotely interested in being subtle.
What It Is
Bagna càuda is a warm anchovy-and-garlic dip traditionally served communally with raw or cooked vegetables and bread. This version uses extra-virgin olive oil, a heroic quantity of garlic, anchovy fillets and unsalted butter.
Origin
Bagna càuda is a traditional dish of Piedmont in northwestern Italy. Its name means 'hot bath' in Piedmontese, referring to the warm sauce into which vegetables are dipped. The cookbook title gives it a Garibaldi-themed flourish, but the dish itself is very real.
Fun Fact
Bagna càuda literally means 'hot bath' in Piedmontese. Cardoons are one of the vegetables traditionally associated with the dish; despite the old cookbook wording, Cardoon is an ingredient, not a town in Piedmont.
Ingredients
- 2¾ cups extra-virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup minced garlic
- 12 anchovy fillets
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- Vegetables and breads for dipping: asparagus, cauliflower, Belgian endive, sweet peppers, zucchini, broccoli, country-style bread, French baguette or Italian bread
Steps
- Combine the olive oil, garlic and anchovies in a small saucepan over low heat.
- Cook for about 5 minutes, mashing the anchovies with the back of a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and fragrant.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until melted.
- Transfer to a warmed fondue pot or chafing dish and keep gently warm.
- Serve immediately with assorted vegetables and crusty bread for dipping.
Notes
The original recipe contains an extremely large amount of oil and garlic. This batch preserves the printed quantities rather than quietly 'fixing' them. If making it for the first time, consider scaling the recipe down.
Substitutions
For a gentler garlic flavour, simmer the garlic briefly in milk before mashing it into the sauce, a variation already noted in the original cookbook. Use different seasonal vegetables for dipping. There is no convincing vegetarian substitute that behaves exactly like anchovy, but capers and miso can provide salt and umami in a reinterpretation.
Storage
Cool promptly and refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring well.
Freezing
The sauce can be frozen in a small airtight container for up to 2 months, though the texture may separate slightly. Thaw in the refrigerator and re-emulsify gently over low heat.