Name: Paski’s pappalá
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 105 min
Total time: 165 min
Yield: 6 - 8
Ingredients: Sourdough, to serve; Tomato oil; 300 gm grape tomatoes, halved; 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 200 ml extra-virgin olive oil; Pappalá; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large white onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves; 400 gm canned diced tomatoes; 6 large basil leaves; 600 gm salt cod fillet, soaked overnight, drained (see note); 1.5 litre milk; 5 each black peppercorns and fresh bay leaves; 300 gm day-old sourdough bread, crusts removed, torn into chunks; 150 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

Paski’s pappalá

If you've exhausted your usual dip-and-spread options, why not try this spread from Sydney's Paski? Made from blended milk-soaked cod, bread, and tomato, this unusual dish is a must-try.

Grey ceramic plate of Pappalá with a spoon. Crusty bread to the side of the image. — Photo: Alicia Taylor

Serves 6 - 8

Prep

Cook

1H 45M

Total

2H 45M

“Pappalá is pappa al pomodoro combined with baccalà mantecato. Mattia tried a version of baccalà mantecato with confit tomato near Vicenza – this is where the idea came from,” says Giorgio De Maria, co-owner of Sydney’s Paski Vineria Popolare. Begin this recipe a day ahead.

Ingredients

Sourdough, to serve

Tomato oil

300 gm grape tomatoes, halved

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

200 ml extra-virgin olive oil

Pappalá

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 large white onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves

400 gm canned diced tomatoes

6 large basil leaves

600 gm salt cod fillet, soaked overnight, drained (see note)

1.5 litre milk

5 each black peppercorns and fresh bay leaves

300 gm day-old sourdough bread, crusts removed, torn into chunks

150 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

Method

1.For tomato oil, preheat oven to 90˚C (fan-forced). Place tomatoes and garlic on an oven tray and season to taste. Slow-roast until tomato edges start to turn golden (1½-1¾ hours). Transfer to a blender with olive oil and blend until smooth (add more oil if mixture is too thick). Strain through a fine sieve lined with paper towel into a jar, refrigerate until required. Discard solids.

2.Meanwhile, for pappalà heat oil in a saucepan over low heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft (8-10 minutes). Add tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened (40 minutes). Stir in basil and season to taste.

3.Meanwhile, place cod in a large saucepan with milk, peppercorns and bay over high heat. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until cod flakes easily (8 minutes). Remove from heat, cover with a lid, and stand for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve milk; coarsely flake cod (discard skin and bones) and set aside.

4.Place bread in a bowl with 750ml reserved milk. Stir until bread absorbs milk and softens (5 minutes), then squeeze bread to remove excess milk. Place soaked bread, cod and tomato mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low-medium speed. With the motor running, gradually add extra oil and mix until until pappalà has a creamy consistency with small visible chunks of cod (3-5 minutes). (If mixture is too thick, thin with a little extra milk).

5.Place pappalá in a bowl, drizzle with tomato oil and serve with sourdough.

Note Salt cod is available at specialty fish shops. Soak cod in water overnight, changing water regularly.

Wine suggestion 2020 Podere Sotto Il Noce Cattabrega, Emilia-Romagna.
Notes