Soft, genuine and tasty, the Cod alla livornese it is a dish steeped in history and local traditions. Coming from Northern European countries, cod (salted cod) has become a real institution in the kitchen, with some dishes known throughout Italy, such as Vicenza-style creamed cod. Rich in minerals, proteins and omega3, cod is perfect in the Mediterranean diet low in fat and calories. Like any self-respecting traditional recipe, almost every family has their own secret recipe of Baccalà alla Livorno, a dish of Tuscan cuisine that is a guarantee in terms of goodness. Let’s see how to cook Baccalà alla livornese with the quick and easy recipe.

Preparation

1

To start, clean and finely slice the onion half with a sharp knife, peel the garlic clove and chop the chilli.

2

In a bowl, pour the peeled tomatoes and press them with a fork to break them. Place a pan on the heat in which to pour a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, the chopped onion and the clove of garlic. Sauté for a few minutes, until the onion is golden brown.

3

Once the sauté is ready, add the previously pressed peeled tomatoes, the sliced ​​red pepper, a pinch of salt and half a glass of water. Cover with a lid and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the desalted cod into 3/4 cm slices.

4

Pour the 00 flour into a dish in which to flour the cod steaks. In another pan, pour a drizzle of EVO oil and brown the floured cod steaks on each side over medium heat. Deglaze with the white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.

5

In the meantime, the tomato sauce will be ready. Remove the garlic clove and insert the browned cod steaks. Season with salt and add another 1/2 glass of water and cook over low heat for another 20 minutes. Once cooked, turn off the heat, flavor the Leghorn cod with chopped parsley and serve.

Accessories

• A cutting board
• A sharp knife
• Two large pans with lids
• A plate
• A fork

Tips and tricks

• Be careful with adding salt. Keep in mind that the cod is already salty than her. Taste before proceeding to salting.
• Baccalà alla livornese can be accompanied by crunchy slices of toasted bread, potatoes cooked in the same sauce as in this recipe or in the oven, or by a steaming home-made polenta soft or sliced ​​and grilled.
• This is the rule that applies to any recipe: the quality of the products significantly improves the optimal outcome of the dish. We therefore advise you to use a good dry and fruity wine to blend the cod. Obviously it should also be sipped in combination with this delicious dish.
• Like any traditional recipe of a locality, there are family versions handed down over the various generations. Among these, one sees the use of vin santo to blend the cod in the pan, for a more aromatic touch. Other reinterpretations, however, include the addition of olives.
• Originally, Baccalà alla Livorno was mostly prepared using stockfish, that is, dried cod. We have used, as is most often used in recent times, cod (salted cod). To prepare Leghorn stockfish it is necessary to soak the fish well in advance and with a longer cooking time.

storage

Store the Baccalà alla Legornese in an airtight container placed in the refrigerator for a maximum of 2 days. We do not recommend freezing this dish.

History

Livorno was one of the most important maritime and commercial cities in Italy and Europe. Multicultural and international, this city is the cradle in which many traditional dishes were born thanks to the contamination with distant cultures, especially from Northern Europe. And from the Nordic countries came the stockfish (cod dried for at least 3 months) and from 1850 the cod (salted cod), thanks to the trade with Bergen which was the largest producer of dried fish.

Soon this type of fish was used in the creation of numerous recipes that over time have become traditional in seaside places in contact with trade, including the fascinating Livorno. In this city, among others, the recipe for Cod alla Livorno was born, which involves cooking cod with an exquisite tomato sauce, accompanied by potatoes or homemade polenta.