Brodetto, a fish stew with a tomato base, is a specialty of the Marche region of Italy. There are several recipes for brodetto, even within the Marche. This recipe belongs to the province of Ancona. To make this recipe, I chose fish available in the southern United States.
brodetto fish stew ancona style
Brodetto (Fish Stew) Ancona-Style
Ingredient
-
1 tablespoon olive oil
-
1 onion, chopped
-
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
-
1 carrot, chopped
-
2 celery ribs, chopped
-
2 bay leaves
-
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
-
red pepper flakes, to taste
-
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
-
1 ½ pounds red snapper fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
-
½ cup white vinegar
-
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
-
3 cups fish stock
-
1 pound clams in shell, scrubbed
-
½ pound medium shrimp, with shells
-
6 (3/4-inch thick) slices Italian bread, toasted
Instructions
-
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan, Dutch oven, or preferably a clay pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrot, celery, bay leaves, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.
-
Stir in mashed tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat. Add fish. Pour in vinegar or wine. Cook until liquid has almost evaporated, about 10 minutes; pour in fish stock. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
-
Gently mix in clams. Cook until clams have opened (discard any that don't open), about 2 minutes, and then stir in shrimp. Cook until shrimp are pink, about 3 minutes.
-
Place a slice of toasted bread in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle brodetto over bread and serve immediately.