Warm Anchovy and Garlic Dip

Ingredients

• 12 clove Garlic
• 200 g Salted anchovies
• 250 ml Extra-virgin olive oil
• 250 ml Milk
• 30 g Butter

Steps

1. Peel the garlic cloves, halve them lengthwise and remove the green germ from the centre.
2. Slice them very thinly.
3. Place the slices in a small bowl, cover with the milk and let them soak for at least 2 hours (or overnight) to soften and mellow the flavour.
4. Meanwhile, rinse the salted anchovies under cold running water to remove the salt.
5. Open each one like a book, lift out the central bone and any innards, then pat the fillets dry with paper towels.
6. Drain the garlic, discarding the milk.
7. Place the garlic slices in a small heavy-bottomed or terracotta pot with about half of the olive oil.
8. Cook over the lowest possible heat, stirring often, for about 15 minutes until the garlic has melted into a soft cream without colouring.
9. Add the anchovy fillets and the remaining olive oil.
10. Stir gently and let everything dissolve over very low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
11. The sauce must never fry or boil; if it gets too hot, lift the pot off the heat for a moment.
12. When the anchovies have completely melted into a smooth, glossy sauce, stir in the knob of butter to round it out.
13. Taste and adjust, keeping in mind that bagna cauda is meant to be bold.
14. Transfer the bagna cauda to the table in a fujot (a small terracotta warmer set over a tealight) or any flameproof dish kept warm.
15. Serve surrounded by raw and cooked vegetables for dipping, with plenty of bread to catch the drips.

Tips

• The classic dipping spread includes raw cardoons, bell peppers, fennel and Jerusalem artichokes, plus cooked beets, boiled potatoes and roasted onions. For a milder version, simmer the garlic in milk instead of merely soaking it. Never let the oil sizzle: the moment it fries, the garlic turns bitter.