History
ScattiDiGusto's guide to eating on Lake Garda describes luccio in salsa as a dish of the upper Mantua area and the lower lake, served with grilled polenta after slow cooking with capers, sardines and vinegar. Trattoria Arco dei Gavi lists luccio in salsa mantovana con polenta on its menu. The pike is one of the lake fish named in guides to Garda restaurants, with coregone (lavarello), perch and trout.
Book a food experience
Tours, tastings and classes from the cities on this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.
Common allergens: Fish
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 600g pike fillets (skin off; substitute white-fleshed lake or river fish if pike unavailable)
- For the court bouillon: 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig thyme
- 200ml white wine
- 2 litres water
- For the sauce: 100ml extra-virgin olive oil, 8 salt-cured anchovy fillets (chopped), 3 tablespoons capers (rinsed), 1 garlic clove (minced), 1 small handful flat-leaf parsley (chopped), juice of half a lemon
- For the polenta: 250g yellow polenta, 1 litre water, salt, 30g butter
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Make the polenta: bring 1 litre salted water to the boil; whisk in the polenta in a steady stream and cook on low heat, stirring, for 35 to 40 minutes until smooth and pulling from the pan sides.
- Pour the cooked polenta onto a wet board to a 2cm thickness and cool 30 minutes; cut into 8 squares.
- Make the court bouillon: combine all bouillon ingredients in a wide pot and simmer 15 minutes.
- Add the pike fillets and poach 8 to 10 minutes at a bare simmer until just opaque. Carefully remove and pat dry.
- Make the sauce: warm the olive oil gently in a small pan, add the garlic and anchovies, stir until anchovies dissolve (2 minutes). Off heat add capers, parsley and lemon juice.
- Grill the polenta squares 2 minutes per side until char marks appear.
- Plate two polenta squares per person, top with a pike portion, and spoon the sauce over generously.
Tip from the editors. Substitute zander or any firm white lake or river fish if pike is unavailable; the sauce-and-polenta technique is the canonical Veronese frame.
Where to eat luccio in salsa (luccio e polenta)
Luccio in salsa (luccio e polenta) in Verona
Trattoria Arco dei Gavi ★ 4.7
Trattoria Arco dei Gavi is a family-run trattoria in Verona's historic centre serving Veronese and Mantuan dishes such as the bollito misto.
Why locals goA rustic, family-run trattoria in the historic centre a few steps from the Arena, with a cellar stocked with high-quality white and red wines.
TipBookings are taken by telephone only, so call ahead to reserve a table.
More places near Trattoria Arco dei Gavi
Not on this list, but close by, nearest first. Every one is in our guide with its address, hours and what to order.
- Osteria Casa Vino Hidden gems, under 100 m away
- Trattoria I Masenini Italian, about 100 m away
- La Vecia Mescola Italian, about 100 m away
- Il Cenacolo Italian, about 150 m away
- La Cantina del 15 Italian, about 150 m away
- Demos Italian, about 150 m away
More cities are in research. Want luccio in salsa (luccio e polenta) covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.