How to make
In the Spanish region of Valencia, the most famous culinary jewel is the paella, known throughout the world, but it is far from the only dish, which the traditional culinary culture of these lands is rich with.
One of the typical dishes that is prepared in Valencia is this roasted peppers spread with cod fish (bacalao), garlic and olive oil. You come across it with the name Esgarraet.
In fact, Esgarraet is both an appetizer and a spread, which is eaten with toast, or it also plays a great role as a salad.
The cod itself is probably the most important product, which creates the specific taste. A special fish is used that is salted and semi-dried (in the past and now, this is a great way to preserve it) To start using it, it is placed in water for a few hours or overnight and it is desalted this way, but not fully - a slight saltiness remains.
Of course, the degree of desalination also depends on the dish that is prepared with it. For our esgarraet, it doesn't need to be left very long, so that it can stay salty and that way we don't add extra salt.
As a last resort, if you do not find such cod, you can also use smoked and marinated, but the taste of the appetizing spread will change.
The fish is torn into pieces. The peppers are cleaned and cut into strips. For variety and a more colorful dish, you can use, in addition to red peppers, some green and yellow ones.
Add the chopped the garlic to all of this and cover it with olive oil (must be good quality and aromatic olive oil).
Mix well and leave it for a few hours, preferably overnight.
The preparation of esgarraet itself is very easy, but the key to the truly authentic taste is precisely leaving for a while, during which the flavors are released and blend to perfection.
Try this traditional Valencian Peppers and Cod Spread and I guarantee you won't regret it.
Good luck and enjoy!
