Baccalà alla ghiotta (Catanese-style), a dish that is part of traditional Sicilian grandmother recipes. The “baccalà alla ghiotta” is a typical preparation throughout Sicily, but in traditional Catanese cuisine, the baccalà “alla ghiotta” is a humble recipe that makes this fish the protagonist of a dish enriched with particular ingredients. This recipe is also an indispensable fish main course that is part of our Christmas and New Year’s fish menu, alongside dishes like raw marinated baccalà or my creamed baccalà with milk.
This is a fish-based main course tied to the maritime tradition of the city and, as with all typical dishes, while remaining within the limits of the ingredients that belong to this recipe, every household has its own way of assembling, measuring and preparing them.
Today I will show you how it is cooked in my family, in a version that best reflects the historical character of the dish. Ready? Let’s go to the kitchen and discover the real recipe for baccalà alla ghiotta, or rather my grandmother’s recipe for baccalà alla ghiotta — you’ll love it at the first bite! Before we roll up our sleeves, remember that if you want to stay updated on all my recipes you can follow my Facebook page (here) and my Instagram profile (here).
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring, New Year's Eve
- Energy 689.68 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 37.66 (g) of which sugars 9.08 (g)
- Proteins 110.30 (g)
- Fat 9.00 (g) of which saturated 1.37 (g)of which unsaturated 5.69 (g)
- Fibers 5.70 (g)
- Sodium 11,892.47 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 350 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for making baccalà alla ghiotta
- 2.2 lbs Salted cod (rehydrated and desalinated)
- 1 lb 12 oz Potatoes
- 1 onion (large)
- 1/2 cup celery
- 1 carrot (medium)
- 1 oz pine nuts
- 3 tbsp raisins
- 1 tbsp capers (drained)
- 10 pieces black olives (in brine)
- 2 pears (spinelle (local Etna variety) or one large very firm pear)
- 7 tbsp double concentrated tomato paste
Tools
- Pot
- Bowl
- Refrigerator
- Stove
Preparation of baccalà alla ghiotta
You can buy the baccalà already desalinated and rehydrated, but I recommend doing this yourself so you can be sure about the product’s hygiene and freshness.
After buying the fish, rinse it under running water to remove excess salt, then place it in a basin and cover with very fresh water. Let it rest for 8 hours, rinse and change the water, and continue this process for at least 36 hours or until, tasting the fish, you notice the excessive saltiness has gone.
Rinse the fillets one last time and pat them dry with paper towels.
Cut the baccalà into pieces and remove as many bones as you can. Prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Sauté onion, celery and carrot to make a soffritto. Add the potatoes and let them take on flavor for about ten minutes, but do not add salt — the baccalà is already salty.
Add the raisins, toasted pine nuts, capers, olives, and the pear cut into pieces, and mix.
Regarding the pears, tiny local pears called “spinelle” from the Etna area (pira da’ Muntagna) would traditionally be used; they are prized for being particularly firm, fragrant and suitable for this dish. If you cannot find them, substitute with one large or two small pears, provided they are very firm.
Add enough water to cover the potatoes and cook for about twenty minutes. When the potatoes are nearly cooked, add the double concentrated tomato paste, dissolve it and let it cook for a few minutes.
To finish, add the baccalà and continue cooking for about 45 minutes with the lid slightly ajar.
Our dish is ready: let it rest for about half an hour covered, then plate and serve.
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When entering the ingredients I followed a precise order to ensure good cooking of both the cod and the potatoes, avoiding that either of them would fall apart. The double concentrated tomato paste should be added when the potatoes are almost done, because the acidity of the tomato makes these tubers firmer. The cod will finish cooking at the end, absorb the flavors and remain intact without breaking apart. Baccalà “alla ghiotta” includes ingredients with very strong tastes that may not be to everyone’s liking, such as capers and olives; if you prefer you can omit them.
Notes
Store any leftover baccalà in the refrigerator, well sealed in an airtight container, and consume within 24 hours after reheating. If you want to stay updated on my recipes, follow me on:
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