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Baccalà alla livornese in a terracotta pan with tomato sauce, black olives, capers, and fresh parsley

Baccalà alla Livornese (Salt Cod in Tomato Sauce)

Salt cod braised in a Livornese tomato sauce with black olives, capers, and parsley. A traditional Tuscan coast dish ready in about 40 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 310
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 700 g baccalà (salt cod, pre-soaked and desalted) cut into 8-10 cm pieces
  • 3 tbsp plain flour (or rice flour for GF) for dusting
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 400 g canned whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand
  • 80 g black olives (Taggiasca or Gaeta) pitted
  • 2 tbsp salted capers rinsed well
  • 4 tbsp flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped, divided
  • 60 ml dry white wine optional
  • to taste black pepper
  • to taste fine sea salt add carefully - cod retains salt

Method
 

  1. Pat the soaked baccalà pieces dry with paper towels. Dust them lightly in flour on all sides, shaking off any excess.
  2. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the baccalà in a single layer - work in two batches if needed. Cook for 2 minutes per side until lightly golden. Transfer to a plate.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the sliced garlic. Cook for 60 seconds, stirring, until pale gold and fragrant - do not let it brown.
  4. If using white wine, pour it in now and let it bubble for 30 seconds until the alcohol smell fades.
  5. Add the crushed tomatoes, olives, rinsed capers, and half the parsley. Stir to combine. Simmer uncovered for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
  6. Nestle the browned baccalà pieces into the sauce, skin-side up. Spoon some sauce over the top, then cover with a lid and simmer on low heat for 12-15 minutes until the fish flakes easily when pressed with a fork.
  7. Taste the sauce and adjust with black pepper. Add salt only if needed - the cod and capers may season it sufficiently.
  8. Remove from heat. Rest for 5 minutes. Scatter the remaining parsley over the top and serve straight from the pan.

Notes

If you can only find dry salt cod, start the soak 48 hours ahead and change the water at least four times. Rushing this step is the main reason baccalà dishes turn out too salty.