As the weather gets cooler, stews become the heart of any meal. No exception for this Baccala alla Livornese or Salted Dried Cod in Tomato Sauce.
What makes this stew hearty? Big chunks of dried cod with potatoes in a tangy onion tomato sauce.
This Baccala alla Livornese is the perfect dish to make on Christmas Eve if you follow European tradition of eating 12 seafood dishes and no meat. Growing up, my mother made this dish on Christmas Eve along side spaghetti with anchovies and broccoli with anchovies.
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Although this is a dish traditionally made over Christmas, there is nothing stopping you from making this dish at any time of the year. Just make sure that you have fresh bread because you will want to dip your bread in the delicious salted cod tomato sauce.
This was inspired by my mom who is a fabulous cook and makes this dish every Christmas Eve with a fresh loaf of bread on standby.
Christmas is the perfect time to make dishes like Shrimp Fettucine Alfredo, Wedding Egg Drop Soup, Watermelon Ice Cream or desserts like cheesecake, tiramisu and cookies.
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What's the difference Salted Cod vs. Fresh Cod?
Salted cod is just that, it's cod that is covered in a mixture of salt and sugar and allowed to sit and dry out over 24 hours or longer. It's then washed and wrapped in muslin cloth and placed in a cool place for storage.
Salted cod can be kept for a couple of weeks. Salted cod can also be frozen for as long 3 to 4 months.
When you are ready to use salted cod, thaw it out for 24 hours and soak it by placing it in water for a couple of days. Change the water twice a day to wash away the salt.
You don't want to add any more salt to salted cod when preparing it for cooking
Can you use Fresh Code in Baccala alla Livornese?
The short answer is yes. However, most people will use salted cod because it is a lot more firmer than fresh cod. Fresh cod will become flaky and come apart in the cooking process and you will end up with cod soup.
Ingredients
- Yellow Potatoes
- Salted Cod
- White Onions
- Salt and pepper
- Bay Leaves
- Tomato Puree
- All Purpose Flour
- Frying Oil
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Important: Soak salted cod in water for 2 to 3 days, rinsing twice daily.
Remove cod from water and pat dry.
Peel and quarter your potatoes and chop your onions.
Dredge cod with flour on all sides.
Fry baccala on both sides until golden. (you don't need to cook all the way through). Transfer to plate and use pan to make sauce.
In a large stock pot, sauté Onions and garlic in olive oil until fragrant.
Add raw peeled and quartered potatoes. Add tomato puree and bay leaves and bring to a gentle boil. Return fried baccala to pot.
Hint: remember to soak your salted cod in cool water for 2 to 3 days, changing the water at least twice a day.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few ideas on how you can make this dish different or fit a certain diet:
- Red Pepper Flakes - add spice to spice it up!
- Fresh Cod - use fresh cod instead of salted dry cod.
- Gluten Free/Paleo - use gluten free flour (almond flour, coconut flour, rice flour or gluten free starch like potato starch) for drenching your cod to make it gluten free
- Capers/Anchovies - add capers or anchovies for an added savory taste.
If you know how to make this recipe unique or suit your diet - go for it! Let me know what you did and how it turned out by leaving me a comment. I'd love to hear from you.
Equipment
A large pot and frying pan will come in handy to fry and cook your baccala. Bowls will come in handy to soak your salted cod and knives and cutting board are handy for cutting your cod into manageable pieces.
This page contains affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through links I provide (at no extra cost to you). Thank you for supporting the work I put into this site! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Storage
If you have a lot of leftovers you can place them in an airtight container and keep them refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. You can then re-heat them either in the microwave or transfer to a pot for warming up.
Uncooked salted cod stores very well in the freezer for 3 to 4 months. I've never frozen salted cod after cooking so I can't say how it will hold up in the freezer.
Food Safety
Note that the storage guidelines provided on this page and site are estimates from personal experiences. We are all adults and as an adult you are responsible to ensure that the food you eat is safe to eat. Since, I'm not a food safety expert, you are responsible to review your local guidelines on food storage prior to storing any food left-overs.
Remember to:
- Not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
For Canadian Guidelines check Government of Canada's Food and Safety Guidelines, see more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Top tip
Remember to soak your salted cod in cool water for 2 to 3 days, changing the water at least twice a day.
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Recipe Details
Baccala alla Livornese
Ingredients
- 3 medium Potatoes peeled and quartered
- 550 grams Salted Cod soaked in water for 3 days, rinsed twice daily
- Water for soaking Salted Cod
- 3 White Onions sliced
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 700 ml Tomato Puree
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour
- ½ cup Olive Oil for frying, divided if using two pans
- Salt Pepper, Herbs (optional)
Instructions
- Thaw and soak salted cod in water for 2 to 3 days, rinsing twice daily.
- Remove cod from water and pat dry.
- Coat dry cod with flour
- In a large stock pot or frypan, sauté garlic in olive oil until fragrant.
- Fry baccala on both sides until golden (you don't need to cook all the way through).
- Remove from pot and place on a plate.
- In a large stock pot, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until fragrant.
- Add tomato puree and bay leaves and bring to a gentile boil.
- Add raw peeled and quartered potatoes.
- Return fried baccala to pot.
- Simmer on low heat covered for an hour so so, until the potatoes are for tender and cooked all the way through.
- Add salt and pepper or seasoning if necessary. Do not add more salt until you have tasted the cod.
- Let cool for 10 minutes and serve with fresh Italian bread.
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