For the average Italian food enthusiast, Bucatini alla Calabrese isn't usually the first food that springs to mind when one thinks of the signatures of Calabria – fiery ‘nduja and the sweet PGI Red Onion of Tropea tend to stand front and center. Yet Bucatini alla Calabrese is a stable of the region’s cuisine, rustic fare that fuses the sea and land by coupling bucatini pasta in Calabrian-style stockfish.
The recipe is below. While it's relatively easy to prepare, the dish does call for a few specific steps. You can also click through the above slideshow for some tips and delicious variations on the dish.
Bucatini alla Calabrese
Prep time: 1 hour
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 lb. stockfish, cut into pieces
1 lb. bucatini pasta
1 lb. peeled tomatoes
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt, pepper, and red chili pepper flakes to taste
Method:
If you have an earthenware pan use it for this recipe.
Heat the olive oil in the earthenware or other pan, and fry the chopped garlic and onion. Add the chopped stockfish and brown it, shaking the pan instead of turning the fish with a spatula.
Place the peeled tomatoes in a bowl. Halfway through cooking, remove the fish from the saucepan and set it aside. Add the peeled tomatoes to the saucepan and cook, crushing them with a spoon. Let cook for around 20 minutes over medium heat with the lid on. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add salt. Cook the bucatini until al dente.
Near the end of cooking, add the stockfish to the sauce and let cook for around 5 more minutes. Once the bucatini pasta is al dente, drain and add it to the saucepan, sautéeing everything together for a couple of minutes. Serve steaming hot.