Baccala alla Ghiotta Recipe

blue skillet with salt cod, potatoes, tomatoes and black olives

Baccala alla Ghiotta Recipe

Baccala alla ghiotta is a Sicilian style salt cod dish fragrant with potatoes, black olives, capers, cherry tomatoes and onions. The perfect addition to your Christmas Eve fish and seafood menu.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Sicilian-Italian

Keyword salt cod with potatoes, baccala alla ghiotta

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 10

Servings - 8 servings

Calories 504kcal

Author Nadia Fazio

Ingredients

1 pound salt cod (450 grams)
2 tbsp olive oil plus extra for drizzling on top
1 large onion diced
1/2 cup black olives about 12 olives (or more as desired)
1 tbsp capers
pinch red pepper flakes optional
2 tbsp parsley fresh chopped (divided)
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1 pound potatoes peeled and sliced into wedges

Instructions

Soak the salt cod:

Soak the salt cod in water for 2-3 days. Rinse the excess salt from the cod, place in a large bowl and cover with water. At least twice daily, rinse the fish and cover with fresh water.

To prepare the dish:

In a large deep skillet, sauté an onion; add black olives, capers, red pepper flakes, parsley and cherry tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes.
Add potatoes sliced in wedges and stir to coat in the tomato mixture. Pour water in (the potatoes do not necessarily have to be sumberged in water) and cook, covered, for 20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
Nestle in the cod fish which has been cut into individual portions (I cut mine into 4 pieces). Cover and cook 15 minutes longer until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Sprinkle with extra freshly chopped parsley and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Serve hot or at room temperature with fresh bread.

Notes

Be sure to thoroughly soak your cod for 2-3 days or your dish will be too salty to eat!
If you don't have fresh cherry tomatoes, you may substitute canned tomatoes.
I prefer this dish on the drier side, however if you like a soupier consistency add more water along with your potatoes.
This recipe will easily feed 4 people as a main dish or 6-8 people as a first course.
If you are not fond of salt cod or want to make this recipe immediately, replace salt cod with a firm fleshed white fish such as fresh cod, halibut or haddock.

Nutrition