Cacciucco (Tuscan Fish Stew)

About This Recipe

Cacciucco is a Livorno fishing-town stew traditionally made with whatever the day's catch brought in — a mix of fish, shellfish, and squid simmered together in a rich tomato and red wine broth thickened with garlic-rubbed bread. It's a dish born from necessity, using the less prized parts of the catch, that turned into one of Tuscany's most beloved seafood dishes. The broth builds slowly: garlic and chile bloom in olive oil, tomatoes and wine simmer down, then the seafood goes in in stages, firmest first, so nothing overcooks by the time it's ladled over garlic-rubbed toast.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500 gmixed white fish(such as monkfish or cod, cut into chunks)
• 300 gmussels(scrubbed)
• 300 gsquid(cleaned and sliced into rings)
• 6 clovesgarlic(4 minced, 2 whole for toast)
• 1dried chile(crumbled)
• 5 tbspolive oil
• 1 cupdry red wine
• 500 gcanned crushed tomatoes
• 2 cupsfish stock
• 8 slicescrusty bread(toasted)
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.25 cupfresh parsley(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Build the base

   Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chile, cooking 1 minute until fragrant.

2. 2

   Add wine and tomatoes

   Pour in red wine and simmer 3 minutes to cook off the alcohol, then add crushed tomatoes and fish stock. Simmer 20 minutes to develop the broth.

3. 3

   Add firm seafood first

   Add squid and salt, simmering 10 minutes until just tender.

   Squid needs either a very short cook or a long braise — anything in between turns rubbery.

4. 4

   Add fish and mussels

   Add fish chunks and mussels, cover, and simmer 6-8 minutes until the fish is opaque and mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that stay closed.

5. 5

   Prepare the toast

   Rub toasted bread slices with the whole garlic cloves.

6. 6

   Serve over toast

   Place a slice of garlic toast in each bowl, ladle the stew over the top, and scatter with parsley before serving.

Variations

• •

  Add clams or shrimp for more variety in the seafood mix.

• •

  Use white wine instead of red for a lighter, more acidic broth, closer to some coastal versions.

• •

  Add a splash of tomato paste for a deeper color and richer broth.

Storage

Best eaten the day it's made since the seafood toughens on reheating; if needed, refrigerate for 1 day and reheat very gently over low heat.

Frequently Asked Questions