Photo: Spaghettini with Salt Cod and Tomatoes: Spaghettini con Baccala e Tomate Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 pound boneless fillet salt cod, soaked for 24 hours, water changed every 8 hours, drained and cut into 3 to 4-inch chunks
- 1 leek, cleaned and thinly sliced into rings
- 1 bunch parsley, chopped to yield 1/4 cup, plus extra, for garnish
- 2 cups canned tomatoes, chopped
- 1 small dried hot red chile pepper
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound spaghettini
- 12 to 24 Ascoli black olives, pitted and chopped
Directions
In a saucepan, large enough to hold sauce and pasta, heat olive oil over medium-low heat and gently saute garlic cloves 5 to 7 minutes, or until soft.
Add pieces of salt cod and raise heat slightly to cook cod on all sides, until it has lost its translucence. Scatter leek and parsley over fish and continue cooking until vegetables have become very soft, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, chile pepper, and salt and pepper, to taste, and stir to mix well. Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes, to reduce and thicken tomato juices. Adjust seasoning.
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. Add pasta and cook until half done, about 7 minutes. Bring sauce back to a simmer, drain pasta and add to the sauce, stirring to mix well. Return to medium-low heat and cook, covered, until pasta is cooked through. Serve immediately, garnished with olives and parsley
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By symonewilliams1...
Woodstock, GA
on May 04, 2010
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Not my first time cooking salt cod, but I wanted to try something different. As my nine year old daughter said "It has pizazz!" and she was dead on. It was very tasty. Not too spicy, yet not blah. Instead of soaking the cod, I boiled it and threw the water off 3 times. Could have used one more washing, but the tomatoes balanced it out. Instead of leeks (which I couldn't find I used green onions and it still came out good. Will definitely this cook again. Also, I boiled sweet plantain on the side to eat with. Made a great combo!
By info_11690311
Gaylrodsville, CT
on February 23, 2009
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This was my first time cooking salt cod, but not eating it. The overall taste was very good, the whole family loved it, even my toddler. However, the fish was still too salty to really enjoy fully. Most of Mario's recipes call for a 48 hour soak time for salt cod, but this was 24 -- I figured I'd trust but Mario and maybe the tomatoes would cut the salt, but no -- this definitely needd at least another 12 hours soaking in water...
By mcma_9433201
Ann Arbor, MI
on November 08, 2008
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I have done this recipe 3 times, though with fresh cod and fettuccine instead. It is delicious and very easy. I think salted cod needs to be very well de-salted to make it work.
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