Non-VegetarianToscana cuisine Main Course

Baccalà alla Livornese

Name: Baccalà alla Livornese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Toscana
Ingredients: 800 g baccalà (cured salt cod); 60 g Plain flour; 80 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 1 medium Yellow onion; 2 cloves Garlic; 500 g canned whole peeled plum tomatoes; 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1 pinch Black pepper; 1 pinch Fine sea salt

Salt cod dusted in flour, shallow-fried until golden, and gently simmered in a rich garlic and onion tomato sauce.

🇮🇹Italy· Tuscany

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 50 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 410 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

800 g baccalà (cured salt cod) — soaked, desalted, and skinned
60 g Plain flour — for dusting the fish
80 ml Extra virgin olive oil — divided for frying and sauce
1 medium Yellow onion — finely sliced
2 cloves Garlic — peeled and thinly sliced
500 g canned whole peeled plum tomatoes — crushed by hand
15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley — finely chopped
1 pinch Black pepper — freshly ground
1 pinch Fine sea salt — to taste, use sparingly

Equipment

•Wide heavy frying pan
•Fish slice
•Kitchen paper
•Chef knife
•Cutting board

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 410 kcal
fat: 18 g
carbs: 18 g
fibre: 3 g
protein: 42 g
calories: 410 kcal

Instructions

1
Pat the soaked cod thoroughly dry with kitchen paper.
2
Cut the fish into four equal portion-sized pieces.
3
Dredge the fish pieces in plain flour, shaking off excess.
4
Heat 50ml olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat.
5
Fry the cod for three minutes per side until lightly golden.
6
Transfer the fried fish to a plate lined with kitchen paper.
7
Heat the remaining olive oil in the pan over medium heat.
8
Add the sliced onion and garlic, cooking until soft and translucent.
9
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and season with freshly cracked black pepper.
10
Simmer the sauce gently for ten minutes until slightly reduced.
11
Nestle the fried cod into the sauce and simmer for fifteen minutes.
12
Scatter over the fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Chef's tips

Always check your salt cod for residual saltiness before seasoning the sauce. Do not stir the pan with a spoon once the fish is simmering, as the delicate cod flakes will break apart; instead, gently swirl the pan by the handle.

Ingredient substitutions

cured salt cod → thick fresh cod loin, seasoned with sea salt fifteen minutes prior
plain flour → fine rice flour for a gluten-free coating

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat with a splash of water until warmed through.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Using unsoaked or insufficiently desalted cod, making the finished dish unpalatably salty.
•Stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, which shreds the fried cod fillets.
•Over-reducing the tomato sauce before adding the fish, leaving insufficient liquid for braising.