Cooking with Love

Baccala Meraccheria Style

Baccala Meraccheria Style was served on Christmas Eve.

Three days before preparing to cook:

Cut up pieces of salted dry baccala as large as you desire. Soak in cold fresh water and change water at least three times per day. Keep refrigerated.

2 lbs. dried salted baccala (after being soaked in water for three days and cut into pieces – pat dry very well to remove as much liquid as possible

 Olive oil as needed

 One large onion, diced.

1 clove garlic, sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

 ½ cup Italian green or black olives (pitted)

28 oz crushed tomatoes

 1 tsp rinsed capers

¼ cup white wine

 Red pepper flakes to taste

Instructions: In large dutch oven, heat at least 3 tbsp of olive oil and add onion and garlic. Let simmer until soft and translucent.

Add fish pieces one at a time. Let the fish sauté on both sides and become white with color. After a minute or two, add cherry tomatoes, black pepper and salt to taste. Add wine – let simmer until the smell of the wine dissipates.

Add olives, capers and crushed tomatoes. Toss gently – cover with lid ajar. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place uncovered fish into the oven for 40 minutes or until fork tender. Take out of oven – sauce should look like it has a dark skin on top and become one.

Carefully ladle onto platter. Get the bread!