BACCALA ALL ANCONETANA
Prep: 30 min | Cooking Time: 20 min | Resting time recommended: 24 hr. | Serve: 4
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A comforting seafood dish deeply rooted in Italy’s cucina povera — this baccalà in umido combines salted cod, sweet tomatoes, waxy potatoes, and briny olives in a delicate fish stock emulsion. Like many traditional recipes, it’s a dish that improves with rest and patience.
Ingredients
Sunflower oil – 200 ml
Garlic – 10 g
Brown onion – 60 g
Salted cod (baccalà), desalted – 500 g
Baccalà skin – 100 g
Roma tomatoes – 300 g
Desiree potatoes – 500 g
Fish stock (room temp) – 150 ml
Kalamata olives, halved – 40 g
Salt (for boiling water) – 30 g per 2 litres
Method
Prep the Vegetables
Cut Roma tomatoes into quarters and remove the seeds.
Peel potatoes and slice into 1 cm thick rounds (rondelle). Boil in salted water (2 L water with 30 g salt) for 4 minutes, then transfer to an ice bath.
In the same water, blanch the sliced onion for 2 minutes, then cool in ice water.
Prepare the Fish Base
In a wide pan, gently heat sunflower oil with the garlic until the cloves float and infuse without colouring.
Add the baccalà skin and diced salted cod (previously soaked and desalted). Move carefully to avoid breaking the fish.
Build the Umido
As the fish begins to fry and a light foam forms on the surface, add tomatoes, halved olives, and fish stock.
Once the tomatoes soften, add the pre-cooked potatoes and onions.
Stir gently to form a silky emulsion.
Rest Before Serving
Cook for a final 3–5 minutes, then remove from heat. Let the dish rest in its liquid for at least 24 hours in the fridge — this step is essential to marry the flavors.
📜 A Bit of History
Salt cod (baccalà) has long been a staple in coastal and inland Italian kitchens, thanks to its long shelf life and versatility. Traditionally prepared in stews (in umido), it carries the legacy of peasant cuisine — humble ingredients elevated through time, patience, and regional tradition. This version nods to the Adriatic with its light stock and clean finish.