Carpentras’s Tian of Spinach and Salt Cod for Purim

Name: Carpentras’s Tian of Spinach and Salt Cod for Purim
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/4 pounds salt cod, preferably from the front half of the fish; 1 bay leaf; 3 cloves garlic, minced; A few sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 3 peppercorns; 3 pounds spinach; 1 tablespoon flour; 2 hard-boiled eggs; 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing pan; 1 yellow onion, diced; 1/2 cup bread crumbs; Freshly ground pepper to taste

December 9, 2011

Gerard Monteux, who is a descendant of the Juifs du Pape, told me that this was a very famous dish from Carpentras, eaten at Purim. (It is also a Lenten dish.) In this town, which had an oven in the Jewish quarter, cooks prepared the dish at home, putting it in an earthenware tian. They then brought it to the public oven and baked it, fetching it when it was done. Our modern-day casserole dishes have evolved from this tradition.

Recipe notes

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