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Stoccafisso in umido is a hearty, flavourful stew built around stockfish - cod dried for months in the Arctic winds of Norway - which arrives in Italy as a hard, almost wooden plank and requires several days of soaking before it can be cooked into something tender and extraordinary. The stew is a tradition of the Veneto and Calabria in particular, where the flavourful, chewy stockfish is braised slowly with potatoes, tomatoes, olives, and capers in a rich, wine-enriched sauce that transforms the dry fish into something deeply satisfying and alive with Mediterranean character. The olives and capers echo the briny nature of the fish while the potatoes absorb the cooking liquid and provide body. This is a dish of remarkable depth that rewards the patience required to prepare it properly.
Prep
25 min
Cook
70 min
Total
95 min
Servings
4 srv
Difficulty
Medium
Calories
290 kcal
For 4 serving(s)
Per serving
Ensure the stockfish has been soaked in cold water for 48-72 hours, changing the water twice daily, until fully rehydrated and pliable. Drain, remove any bones, and cut into large pieces.
Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat. Cook the diced onion, carrot, and celery for 10 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Pour in the white wine and let it reduce by half.
Add the crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add the stockfish pieces, black olives, and capers. Stir gently.
Peel the potatoes and cut into large chunks. Add them to the pot and stir to combine.
Cover with a lid and simmer over the lowest possible heat for 60-70 minutes, shaking the pot gently every 15 minutes (rather than stirring, to keep the fish pieces intact), until the stockfish is very tender and the potatoes are fully cooked.
Adjust seasoning carefully - the fish, olives, and capers are all salty, so add salt sparingly. Scatter fresh parsley over the top and serve with polenta or crusty bread.
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