I have always been a big fan of baccalà – aka salted cod.  It is quite a common ingredient in Italian cooking and, strangely enough, it is loved and cooked all over the country, from the Northern regions to the Southern end, islands included.  I have already shared the recipes of my grandmother’s Baccalà Fritters and Baccalà alla Vicentina (and the Portuguese Pasteis de Bacalhau), and today I am very happy to show you yet another delicious (and very easy) way to serve salted cod: Baccalà alla Fiorentina, a traditional recipe from Florence, in Tuscany.  I have recently been awarded the Tuscanycious badge by the official food and travel website of the Tuscany Region and what better way to celebrate such a big honour than by sharing a Tuscan recipe?  As you know, I have been sharing regional Italian recipes for a while (you can see them all here) and I always try to stay true to the traditional ingredients and methods, as I do believe that the reason why Italian food is so successful is because of its link to the territory and the local produce and traditions.  Tuscanycious gives their badge to websites that share “information, stories and recipes about authentic Tuscan food and wine”, so I am really honoured to be a part of this project!  You can see all the sites that have been awarded with the Tuscanycious badge (which is now on my sidebar) by clicking here.  So, here goes the recipe for Baccalà alla Fiorentina!  Buon appetito!

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Baccalà alla Fiorentina

Baccalà alla Fiorentina - the traditional Tuscan recipe for salted cod Florence style!

Course Main

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 1 day

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 day 30 minutes

Servings 4

Author Recipe adapted from Firenze Turismo

Ingredients

• 500 gms – 1.1 lbs. baccalà salted cod
• 200 ml – a little less than 1 cup tomato purée
• 2 garlic cloves halved
• 1 tbsp parsley chopped
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Flour
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. The day before, wash the baccalà fillets. Put them in a bowl and cover them with cold water. Soak for 24 hours, changing the water as often as possible so that the fish rehydrates and it loses the excess salt.
2. When the baccalà is ready to be cooked, take it out of the water and pat it dry with some kitchen paper.
3. Portion it, coat it with some flour and keep it aside.
   
4. Sauté the garlic in the extra virgin olive oil for a minute. Make sure not to brown it or it will taste bitter.
5. Add the baccalà pieces and fry them well on all sides until golden.
6. Add the tomato purée, cover and let it cook for 30 minutes on a slow fire.
   
7. When ready, season with salt (only if required) and remove from the fire.
8. Sprinkle the fish with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

I like to serve baccalà with potatoes, either boiled, steamed or pan fried with some onion.

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• Tuna, Olive and Caper Pasta with Garlic Breadcrumbs
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