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Bagna Cauda (A Traditional Piedmontese Warm Dip)

Servings: 4
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Ingredients
  

  • 4 heads garlic
  • 7 oz (200 g) salted anchovies
  • 1 cup (8 fl oz / 240 ml) red wine
  • 7 oz (200 g) extra virgin olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the garlic
    Peel 4 heads of garlic. Cut each clove in half lengthwise and remove the inner core (the germ) to reduce bitterness and make the flavour milder. Slice the cleaned cloves thinly and set aside.
  • Rinse and dry the anchovies
    Rinse 7 oz (200 g) salted anchovies briefly under cold water to remove excess salt, then pat them dry with paper towel. If they’re very salty, you can soak them for a few minutes and rinse again. Drain well.
  • Warm the oil and wine
    In a small saucepan over very low heat, combine 1 cup (8 fl oz / 240 ml) red wine and 3.5 oz (100 g) of the extra virgin olive oil. Keep the heat so low that the mixture barely simmers — you want warmth, not a boil.
  • Gently cook the garlic
    Add the sliced garlic to the warmed wine-and-oil and let it soften slowly, stirring occasionally. Cook gently until the garlic is tender and fragrant but not browned (browning will make it bitter).
  • Add the anchovies
    Add the drained 7 oz (200 g) anchovies to the pan, and stir gently over low heat. Use a wooden spoon to press the anchovies into the oil and wine until they dissolve and the sauce becomes smooth.
  • Finish with the remaining oil
    Stir in the remaining 3.5 oz (100 g) extra virgin olive oil and continue to cook over the lowest heat for about 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is blended into a silky, homogeneous sauce. Taste and adjust: if it’s too salty, a splash more wine or a small knob of butter can soften the saltiness.
  • Serve warm in a fujot
    Transfer the warm bagna cauda to a fujot or small ceramic pot set over a candle or low flame to keep it warm. Arrange a platter of raw and cooked vegetables and enjoy.