Baccalà alla Livornese

Recipe Rating:	3 Ratings5
Categories:	Fish, Italian
Keywords:	stew, cod, Salted, Tuscany
Serves:	2
Prep Time:	15 Min
Cook Time:	15 Min

Ingredients

1 lb	salted cod
1/2 lb	tomatoes, canned whole
1 clove	garlic
2	rosemary sprigs
1 Tbsp	italian parsley, chopped
	flour, to dust cod
	salt and pepper, to taste
5 Tbsp	olive oil, extra virgin

Pinched by Bobdoescooking, and 16 more.

Pierre Ley

Lightly Salted

Milan, Italy

pierreley

Member Since Oct 2012

Pierre's Notes:

Salted cod was an important item in Italian pantries in the past centuries. It probably represented the only way many Italians could have fish on their tables. It kept well, and it was affordable. This recipe is typical from the city of Livorno, in Tuscany. It only has a few ingredients, so you will want to source the best of every single element of this dish. I normally cook it in my favorite stoneware stew pot, but use whatever you are comfortable with, provided it makes a good stew. (be aware you will need to soak the salted cod for 3 days before using)

Directions

Cod should be soaked for 3 days in cold water (keep in the fridge and change water twice a day)prior to using. When making the stew, start by removing the skin, and the bones, from your cod. Cut into large chunks and dust with flour.

Heat oil in your favorite stewing pot, add garlic clove split in two. When it starts sizzling, add the pieces of cod. Add the rosemary sprigs. Season with pepper (don't add salt at this point as the cod is very salty). Lightly brown fish on both sides. Remove cod and reserve.

Add the tomatoes, and make sure you scrape off all the bits of fish that stuck to the bottom of the pot and they blend in with the tomatoes. Crush tomatoes with a wooden spoon to obtain a nice sauce, cover and and leave to simmer for 5 min.

Add the cod, cover and allow to cook for another 5 mins. The cod will "soak up" all the flavor from the sauce! Check sauce for salt (it probably won't be necessary to add any)before serving, and garnish with the chopped parsley. Watch a video of how I prepare this dish by clicking on the "video" icon underneath the picture on this page.

Comments

11 comments

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Pierre Ley pierreley

I shared a video of this recipe.

Marsha Gardner mrdick1950

Oct 26, 2012

I have never seen an earthenware stew pot like yours. Does it have a brand name so I can research it? It is interesting looking. I am going to have my brother-in-law send me some salt cod as it isn't available here just so I can make this dish.

Bonnie Beck sailboat

Oct 26, 2012

Yummy..Pinched

Pierre Ley pierreley

Oct 26, 2012

yes Marsha, the makers of my pot are called "Agnelli", and they're from Bergamo, near Milan. They are well known in Italy, and I think they export in the whole world. It works wonderfully for stews, because the heat is well distributed inside and it never gets too hot as to burn your food. it's perfect, but as I said you can use any material that works for you.

Pierre Ley pierreley

Oct 26, 2012

and a nice weekend to you too! I just realized that I wrote my pot was "earthenware", sorry I really meant to write "stoneware". In the mountains region of Northern Italy they were quite common in the late 19th and early 20th Century. Now they've almost completely disappeared, if it weren't for a couple of "luxury" kitchenware makers. Mine has a copper band around it, with handles, I won it at a golf tournament years back and I fell in love with it! Ciao ciao

Toni T Toni6921

Oct 26, 2012

Pierre, thank you for sharing. Can I use fresh cod to prepare this dish? I imagine that when the salt is removed from the fish, the texture is plump and flaky. I can find salted cod in the international markets, because it is also used in Latin American and Caribbean cuisine as well.

I do have a nice cooking vessel that I can use to prepare this dish.

Toni T Toni6921

Oct 26, 2012

Pierre, does the salt impart a flavor to the cod that makes it more delectable than fresh cod?

Maria S. WWCook1

Oct 28, 2012

Salted cod is common in greek cooking like in Italy. Saving this delicious traditional Livornese dish to add to my cookbook/journal from my travels around the world. Thanks for sharing.

Pierre Ley pierreley

Oct 30, 2012

Thanks Maria, and hi Toni, sorry for not replying earlier, but I got stuck in the mountains! I got snowed in, in October !! I only got back last night. You are right, Toni, salted cod is used because the texture is flaky and plump, on top of being traditional for in the ancient times it was the only way fish could travel and keep. You can also use fresh cod, naturally, and it's quite good, but the result is different, especially the texture. In this case you will need to add some salt to the sauce and to the cod.