Bacalà al Forno with Tomato, Ceci, and Rosemary
One of the things I like about Italian food in general is that it is not a wimpy cuisine; the flavors are bold and decisive, as you will see in this preparation of bacalà, or salt cod. I first tried this classic preparation at Ristorante Da Delfina, at the same lunch where I also discovered Ribollita “Da Delfina” (page 115). I loved how hearty the dish was and how pronounced the flavors were. In keeping with the Florentine tradition of eating bacalà on Fridays, we serve this as the Friday piatto special in the Pizzeria, and in keeping with our tradition of cooking Pizzeria dishes in the pizza oven, this, too, is cooked in that oven. We start with fresh cod and salt-cure it in the style of old days, where the fish was cured as a way of preserving it. Ideally you will start with a center cut of cod, which will yield more even-size pieces, which will salinate evenly. The cod takes three days to cure, so plan accordingly.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
for the cod
for the fried rosemary
for finishing and serving
Preparation
Step 1
To prepare the cod, place it on your work surface, pour 2 tablespoons of salt into your hand, and with your hand close to the fish, sprinkle the salt in an even layer over one side of the fillet. Turn the fish and repeat, sprinkling the other side with the remaining 2 tablespoons of salt. Place a rack on a baking sheet or roasting pan and place the cod on the rack. Wrap the baking sheet in plastic and place the cod in the refrigerator for three days to cure.
Step 2
Fill a large bowl or nonreactive baking dish with water and place the cod in the water to soak for 1 hour, changing the water two or three times during that time. Remove the cod and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the cod on a cutting board and cut it down the center lengthwise. Cut each length into six equal pieces so you have 12 pieces total.
Step 3
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 4
Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large ovenproof sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent it from browning. Add the passata and chopped rosemary and cook for about 5 minutes to heat through. Cut each roasted tomato half in half again and place them in the saucepan without stirring. (If you are using canned tomatoes, cut them into quarters.) Add the ceci, again without stirring, and place the fish on top of the ceci and sauce. Drizzle the fish with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and bake until the fish is opaque and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Step 5
Pour enough olive oil into a small skillet or saucepan to fill it 1 inch deep and line a small plate with paper towels. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a pinch of salt sizzles when dropped into it. Add the rosemary tufts and fry for about 30 seconds until they are crisp but not brown. Use a slotted spoon or strainer to remove the rosemary from the oil, transfer to the paper towels to drain, and season with salt. Strain the rosemary-infused oil through a fine-mesh strainer and reserve it to fry rosemary another time, to make a vinaigrette, or to drizzle over grilled meats or vegetables. The herbs can be fried up to several hours in advance. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Step 6
Remove the cod from the oven and place the sauté pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup of water and cook the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring gently without breaking up the fish.
Step 7
Spoon the sauce onto the center of four plates, dividing it evenly. Place three pieces of fish on top of each serving of sauce, stacking them on top of one another in different directions. Scatter the fried rosemary over the fish, dividing it evenly, squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over each serving, and serve a ramekin of Garlic Mayonnaise on the side of each plate, if you are using it.
suggested wine pairing
Step 8
Vermentino di Gallura (Sardinia)
