Baccalà with Rapini

Description

Baccalà alla livornese with rapini is a hearty Tuscan main course. After soaking salted cod for several days to remove the excess salt, the fish is dried, lightly floured and fried in olive oil until it develops a crisp, golden crust. A sauce is prepared by gently sweating minced garlic, chopped parsley and red chili flakes in olive oil, then deglazing with white wine and allowing the alcohol to evaporate. Blended peeled tomatoes are added and simmered to form a fragrant, spicy base. The fried cod and diced potatoes are returned to the pan and cooked slowly until the potatoes are tender and the flavours meld. Meanwhile, rapini (broccoli rabe) is blanched and then quickly sautéed with sliced garlic and chili. To serve, arrange the rapini on a platter, top with pieces of cod and spoon the tomato‑wine sauce and potatoes around.

Preparation

1. Soak the salted cod in cold water for 2–3 days, changing the water daily and keeping it refrigerated. Pat the fish dry with paper towels, cut into portions and dust lightly with flour.
2. Heat part of the olive oil in a skillet and fry the floured cod pieces until golden on both sides. Remove and set aside on paper towels.
3. In the same pan, add the remaining olive oil and gently sauté the minced garlic, chopped parsley and red chili flakes until fragrant. Deglaze with the white wine and simmer until the alcohol has evaporated.
4. Add the blended peeled tomatoes and cook for a few minutes. Return the fried cod to the pan along with the diced potatoes. Season with salt and pepper, cover and simmer gently until the potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes.
5. While the fish cooks, blanch the rapini in salted boiling water until just tender, then drain and sauté briefly with sliced garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
6. To serve, place the rapini on serving plates, arrange the cod pieces on top and spoon the tomato sauce and potatoes around. Garnish with extra parsley if desired.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

This dish is both satisfying and nutritious. Each serving provides approximately 360 kcal, with about 34 g of protein, 18 g of fat and 14 g of carbohydrates. Actual values will vary depending on the size of your fish and potatoes.

Wine Pairing

Verdicchio from the Marche region is an ideal companion for this entrée. A typical Verdicchio shows aromas of white flowers, fresh garden herbs, a hint of tomato leaf, underripe pear and lemon on the nose. On the palate it is dry and brightly refreshing with medium body and lively acidity, offering flavours of pear and green herbs with a subtle almond note on the finish:contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}. These characteristics make it a great match for the savoury tomato and cod sauce and the slight bitterness of rapini. We recommend Villa Bucci Riserva Verdicchio 2017.

Purchase Villa Bucci Riserva Verdicchio 2017