We drove through Carmagnola, the pepper capital of Piemonte, on our way from Torino to the Langhe last autumn. Carmagnola is famed for producing four varieties of peppers including the peperone corn di bue di Carmagnola (the bull-horn shaped pepper from Carmagnola) which comes in bright yellow or red and has a firm meaty flesh. The peppers are not only astoundingly beautiful but are prized for their deep flavour.
Every year at the end of August, beginning of September, Carmagnola hosts a festival in honour of the pepper, its prized agricultural product. The sight of these peppers instantly brings to mind a traditional regional Piedmontese dish made with peppers and bagna cauda.
Bagna cauda, meaning “hot bath” in Italian, is a traditional Piedmontese dish. It is a warm flavourful sauce made of garlic and anchovies melted into a hot bath of olive oil. I like recipes which keep on giving by easily being turned into another meal. The ingredients in bagna cauda are the basis for many pasta, egg, vegetable and bread recipes so it is easy to reuse. I often make a big batch of bagna cauda and then freeze or refrigerate any leftovers which are then useful in making a quick meal.
Bagna cauda itself is served as a starter with crudite such as carrots, celery, chicory, endive, escarole, cabbage, fennel, artichokes, apples or peppers. In addition roasted polenta and vegetables such as beets, peppers, cardoons, Jerusalem artichokes, pumpkin or onions can also be served. Boiled potatoes and cauliflower are some other options.
Leftover bagna cauda can be kept in the refrigerator, ensuring that the anchovy and garlic are covered with olive oil to keep them air tight. It can also be frozen into cubes in an ice tray, ready for use at the last minute. Here are some recipes (click on the title of the recipe to get the illustrated step-by-step recipe, but alter the recipe using the instructions below to substitute the bagna cauda):
Each recipe serves 4.
Uove strapazzate con bagna cauda (scrambled eggs with bagna cauda)
Add 20 gms of butter to a heated frying pan. When melted add one large heaping spoonful of bagna cauda to 4 beaten eggs and fry, stirring until the eggs are cooked to your liking.
Spaghetti alla puttanesca (spaghetti with olives, tomato, anchovies and capers)
Cook 350 gms spaghetti in lots of salted water for the time indicated on the packaging. Add 3 large spoonfuls of bagna cauda to a hot saute pan with 2 pinches chilli flakes and heat for 1-2 minutes. Add 700 mls tomato passata and simmer for 15 minutes. Add 90 gms pitted olives and 40 gms chopped capers. Toss the sauce with the pasta and serve.
Orecchiette con cima di rapa (cup-shaped pasta with broccoli or turnip tops)
Boil 1.2 kilos broccoli, cut into florets (8 minutes) or 2 kilos trimmed turnip tops (6 minutes) in lots of salted water. Meanwhile in a saucepan, heat 2 large spoons of bagna cauda with 2 pinches of chilli flakes. Drain the vegetables and add the to bagna cauda mixture. Add 350 grams of pasta to the boiling salted water for the time indicated on the packaging. Meanwhile mash up the broccoli to form a paste. Toss the pasta with the broccoli and 70 gms of olive oil and serve.
Broccoli con aglio e olio (broccoli with garlic and anchovies)
Heat 1 large spoon of bagna cauda in a saute pan with 1 dried chilli. Add 500 grams broccoli florets and 50 ml of water. Cook covered for 7 minutes. Add salt to taste. Stir and serve.
5. Agretti (Russian opposite-leaf thistle with garlic and anchovy)
Boil 500 grams agretti in salted water for 5 minutes. Toss with two large spoonfuls of bagna cauda and serve.
6.Radicchio con acciughe (roasted radicchio with anchovies)
Preheat the oven to 180C/400F. Slice the radicchio into thin wedges and place in an oiled baking dish. Drizzle bagna cauda over the top. Make another layer and bake for 45 minutes.
Vermicelli aglio e olio (pasta with garlicky breadcrumbs)
Boil 400 grams of spaghetti in lots of salted water. Meanwhile heat 2 large spoonfuls of bagna cauda with a handful of finely chopped parsley and two handfuls of breadcrumbs, stirring until the breadcrumbs are golden. Stir in a pinch of powdered chilli and toss with the pasta.
Sardenara by Rowena
8. Sardenara / Pizza all’Andrea (pizza with tomatoes, anchovies, garlic, olives and onions)
Preheat the oven to 200C. Caramelise 1 onion finely sliced. Add 1 kilo of tomatoes seeded and skinned, two pinches of dried oregano, four large spoons of bagna cauda and salt and cook for 20 minutes. Roll out the pizza dough and spread the tomato mixture over top. Sprinkle with 1 handful of pitted, chopped black olives, a few sliced garlic cloves and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
9. Pizza con alici e capperi (pizza with anchovies and capers)
Preheat the oven to 180C/400F. Grease a baking sheet with olive oil and roll out the pizza dough. Spread the bagna cauda over the top to form a thin layer. Sprinkle over 45 grams of capers and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Peperoni con bagna cauda (roasted peppers with garlic anchovy sauce)
Grill 4 peppers, preferably corno di bue, in the oven and peel them. Turn the oven down to 120C. Remove the seeds and ribs and cut into 12 pieces. Place the peppers into a roasting dish. Cover the peppers with 500 mls of bagna cauda and bake for a few minutes.
Do you have a favourite recipe which can be reinvented into other dishes? Please share.
