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Baccala with Tomatoes, Capers and Olives: Baccalà alla Napoletana

Baccalà alla Napoletana

This Traditional Southern Italian recipe is often served at The Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve. That is what I have started to do with my family, so there is just a small dish made, enough for a taste.
Course Main
Cuisine Canadian Italian
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 8 -10
Author Valerie Lugonja

Ingredients

  • 1 kilo of Saltcod
  • 4-6 cloves of garlic , minced
  • one bunch of flat leaf parsley , leaves only (and tender stems) chopped
  • Olive oil
  • 500 g canned DOP Tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup to 1 cup Gaeta or Nicoise olives
  • 1/4 cup capers
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper , or more to taste
  • Salt , as needed, to taste (olives, baccala and capers are all salty)

Instructions

Two Days in Advance:

  1. Soak salt cod for up to 48 hours in several daily changes of cold water

Instructions for the Cod:

  1. Drain cod, pat dry, and cut into serving pieces; small if not the only main dish
  2. Flour and season pieces of cod; fry in large skillet over medium high heat in olive oil
  3. Drain paper towel

Instructions for the Sauce:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F
  2. In the same large skillet used for frying the cod, very lightly saute a soffritto of the minced garlic and chopped parsley in olive oil until it just begins to give off its fragrance
  3. Immediately add tomatoes and simmer gently for 5 minutes
  4. When tomatoes start to melt into a sauce, toss in capers and olives
  5. Transfer sauce to oven proof serving dish; gently add fried baccala to the pan and place in preheated oven for 30 minutes, uncovered, to reduce sauce
  6. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with more chopped parsley for color and serve