Authentic Italian baccala

Authentic Italian Baccala is the name for cod that has be cured or preserved with salt. The resulting fish is pleasantly flaky in texture with an irresistibly intense  but never fishy- flavor. In Italy , baccala is a celebrated fish and a fish for celebrations. Growing up Baccala with potatoes was always a  part of the feast of seven fishes on Christmas eve. Sometimes my mother would make it like a salad, that consisted of the prepared cod and potatoes with a simple extra virgin olive oil and freshly squeezed, either way it was delicious.  When it comes to carrying on tradition  it can often mean extra work as it takes us back to a time where ingredients were less abundant. Since the fish is preserved/dried with salt, before it is edible it needs to be soaked in water and changed frequently to reconstitute it and remove the salt.

Top tips when making authentic Italian baccala

Changing the water: Baccala has a ton of salt and nothing would be worse than rushing this process and ruining your Holiday meal. I let it go for three days changing the water every day. Trust me on this – I see plenty of baccala recipes on line you only need to soak the fish for 24 hours. In my experience that simply won’t work and you will be left with inedible overly salted pieces.

This authentic Italian baccala recipe is steeped in Italian heritage, is more than just a meal- it is a celebration of flavor and family . Whether served during festive holidays or as a comforting weeknight dinner, it’s delicate , savory taste highlights the essence of Italian cooking.
If you make this baccala please leave a comment about your experience with the recipe. I love hearing from you, and it helps others. THANKS!!!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. dried salted baccala
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp. red hot pepper flakes
• 2  cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup red wine
• 4 potatoes peeled and cut in medium cubes
• 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley

Instructions

1. Start by soaking the cod.  This step takes three days with the water being changed every day. Then remove pat dry and cut into equal size pieces
2. Then in a stock pot in the olive oil fry the fish . remove and set aside.
3. In the same pot add the red pepper flakes, onion and garlic and cook until soft and translucent .
4. Then mix  in the cherry tomatoes and the diced potatoes. coating then with the onion mixture. Now deglaze the pan with the red wine, waiting until it evaporates before adding in crushed tomatoes. Rinse out the can and add about a cup of the liquid. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender. Return the baccala back to the pot just to heat through. Add the Italian parsley, Ladle into pasta bowls, top with additional parsley. ENJOY!!!!