Salt cod in the Trentino style

Clean it carefully, removing skin and bones, then keep the slices as whole as possible. Dry them slightly, if necessary, without breaking them: an intact piece makes it easier to arrange them in the dish. baking pan and keeps the pulp compact during the long cooking process.

Peel the potatoes and slice them very thinly. Clean the celery root and cut it into thin slices as well. Slice the onion and finely chop the garlic and parsley, keeping the vegetables for the base separate from the herbs for the seasoning.

Grease a pan with extra virgin olive oil baking pan of copper or a baking dish and cover the bottom with thin potato slices. Distribute them in an even layer, so as to create a uniform base that protects the salt cod and absorb its juices during cooking.

Place the slices of salt cod horizontally, close together and quite narrow. Insert very thin slices of potato into the gaps and celery root, using plenty of vegetables and giving priority to celery root: the spaces must be well filled, without leaving any obvious gaps.

Mix the oil with the finely chopped onion, garlic, and parsley. Distribute the mixture on the slices and press it gently, making it penetrate into the spaces between salt cod and vegetables. The dressing should be evenly distributed, without concentrating only on the surface.

Bake at medium heat for about 30 minutes. During this first stage, check that the bottom begins to take on the flavor without drying out too much; the aroma of the herbs should become evident and the surface of the salt cod it must still remain moist.

After about half an hour, season with salt and pepper The salt cod, then pour the milk over the mixture. Continue cooking over low heat for about 2 and a half hours, checking the surface periodically: if it appears too dry, add a small amount of more milk.

When cooking is almost finished, sprinkle the surface with the Parmigiano Reggiano grated. Put back in the oven briefly until the cheese softens and forms a lightly golden coating, while the pulp of the salt cod it remains soft and the vegetables are tender.

Take it out of the oven salt cod and let it settle briefly in its pan juicesServe it hot, accompanied with polenta of corn. Divide the steaks and vegetables among the plates, keeping the dressing creamy and moist around the fish.