The season is getting close to its peak,vegetables in abundance, the work for the grapes, the apples. It is the time for the best thing we have in Piedmont. It is a simple recipe, very simple, peasants working in the fields can improvise it for lunch. It is a dip, a hot dip. I have this link to a NewYork Times
article to know more about this marvelous food. The recipe that goes with the article is perfect. In the family we do it slightly different but it is irrelevant.
Oil, butter, garlic and anchovies.
Slice the cloves of garlic as thin as you are capable (it is really a job for an Opinel).
Heat the garlic in the olive oil (if you use anything else, that night, something will pull at your feet). Until it is transparent. Careful, do not burn it. If it burns throw away and start all over. Better rower than colored.
In they go the anchovies to be dissolved and to stop the frying. Bye bye. I always keep one fillet aside to put on a piece of bread and butter for quality control (advice of the sensuous cook), and to accompany the Bitter Campari. If there are pieces undissolved, the better. Little tasty depth charges.
A dollop of butter will make it so smoooooth.
It is done.
Do with it what you want. Dip in pieces of vegetables, use it to season whatever fancies you. Summer cabbage shredded real fine (white).
Quantities. for 2 people I use a head of garlic, a 1/2 cup of oil and a tin of anchovies.
A nice simple red is perfect, light is better. And the bread of course. if you can have one of those big country breads, in thick slices, you are all set.
To get rid of the garlic from their breath they eat parsley. Yes, and to be more intelligent I wear buttons down. Same source of popular wisdom. Mothers in law.
Somebody, to whom I am extremely grateful and that will receive karma, asked me what kind of tin. about 50 gr of anchovies, at least. The more the tastier of course. I would exaggerate with the garlic, oil and anchovies can always be added.