The expert Basque chef at VET centres in Brescia and Bagnolo Mella
Basque chef Borja Extebarría was a guest at CFP Canossa Brescia and Bagnolo Mella, where he held the first of two days of training for our cooking instructors. The course was entitled “Cocina Tradicional del Pais Vasco” (Traditional Cuisine of the Basque Country).
The chef brought traditional recipes from the Basque Country, starting with typical appetizers such as “La Gilda” (anchovy skewers, pickled peppers, and olives) and the highly anticipated “El Bilbainito” (quail eggs, shrimp, mayonnaise, parsley, and olives). His colleagues then prepared (and tasted, of course!) a second course, “Txangurro a la Donostiarra” (crab stuffed with brandy, onions, and breadcrumbs) and “Papel Vasco,” a Basque cake made with shortcrust pastry and custard.
The chef continued with other dishes, such as main courses based on salt cod cooked in three typical Basque sauces: “Bacalao al Pil-Pil” (salt cod in “Pil-Pil” sauce: an emulsion prepared with oil flavored with garlic, chili pepper, and salt cod jelly; the curious name derives from the sizzling sound made by the juices released from the fish when it is immersed in boiling oil, which turn into a gelatinous substance); “Bacalao en salsa verde” (hot sauce made with oil, parsley, garlic, and flour); “Bacalao Club Ranero” (pil-pil sauce with onions, zucchini, and green and red peppers). Another recipe featured squid in squid ink, “Txipirones en su tinta,” cooked with stewed red onions, fish stock, and squid ink.
The dessert, “Goxua,” was a “biscottata” cake made with biscuits, whipped cream, and custard, all decorated with caramelized sugar.
The refresher course aroused great interest among the practical teachers, who were satisfied with the recipes presented and the results obtained, and Basque chef Extebarría was pleasantly impressed by the participation of his colleagues in the kitchen, who actively engaged in preparing new recipes.
The chef hopes for future collaborations and exchanges with students and teachers at his restaurant Yandiola in the Biscay area.
Once again, the Erasmus+ project has borne fruit (good fruit, and this time Basque fruit)