Stories, Recipes, and Pairings: The Salted Cod cooked by Chef Massimo Capretta matched with our Historical.

A pure salt cod mantecatura, a crispy filo potato cannolo, and a pepper sorbet: a dialogue between the roots of tradition and the voice of chef Massimiliano Capretta, who in his restaurant Arca continually explores new horizons and, in his book Bio-Cucina-Mediterranea, focuses on natural cooking techniques.

Organic ingredients selected locally or with certified origins, food preservation guaranteed by cooking techniques, and Mediterranean inspiration from a culinary tradition capable of embracing all that the rich territory has to offer: these are the cornerstones of his philosophy.

Chef Massimiliano Capretta will be a guest at Wine Not in Ancona on 20th February for a dinner dedicated to Bio Mediterranean Cuisine. We look forward to seeing you there!

This month, we have chosen a dish and recipe dedicated to salt cod, a journey from the heart of tradition to the frontier of innovation, where the flavours of memory meet contemporary techniques.

Salt Cod, Recipe by Massimiliano Capretta

Ingredients:
600 grams of soaked salt cod
150g of rice oil
200g of potatoes
1 red pepper
Salt and pepper

Method:
Cook the salt cod in a vacuum-sealed bag for 30 minutes at 75°C.
Collect the water from the cod and blend it with the rice oil, slowly adding the oil until it becomes like a meringue.

Place the salt cod in a food processor and blend it with the salt cod meringue, mixing until that becomes smooth.
Slice the potatoes and fry them in vegetable oil at 140°C. Roast the pepper and blend it with oil until a sauce is formed.

Plating:
Create a mille-feuille of potato chips and mantecato salt cod at the centre of the plate, and place
the pepper sauce beside it.

The Pairing:
Historical 2019, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC Classico Superiore - Organic
Pale straw yellow in colour with delicate green reflections. The nose is complex and dynamic, shifting between fresh citrus notes, beeswax, and floral nuances. On the palate, it is enveloping and rhythmic, with a distinct briny saltiness and extraordinary energy.

Photo with Chef Massimiliano Capretta and his sister Dalila, the pastry chef at the Arca Restaurant in San Benedetto del Tronto.