This cod recipe comes care of Le Marche, a region on Italy's west coast south of Emilia-Romagna, north of Abruzzo, and west of Umbria, Florence, and Lazio. At its core, Merluzzo alla Marchigiana is a simple cod and tomato preparation.
So you can plan accordingly, the recipe does require a good chunk of time – prep starts two days in advance. However, you'll notice the end justifies the means immediately at first bite. The recipe is below and you'll find some tips, tricks, curiosities, and wine pairing ideas in the above slideshow.
Merluzzo alla Marchigiana / Le Marche-Style Cod Recipe
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 lb. cod
1 lb. ripe tomato
4 oz. all-purpose flour
2 oz. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Soak the cod in plenty of water two days in advance of the day you want to serve it. Keep it soaking for the two days, and take care to change the water 3 or 4 times a day. After two days, drain the cod one last time to remove any excess water. Rinse the fish and cut it into pieces, dry them carefully, dabbing with a paper towel.
To make the sauce, peel the tomatoes, remove the seeds and chop them into small pieces. Peel the parsley, combine it with the garlic, mince together, and set aside.
In the meantime, heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Once the oil's hot, add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Put the heat on high, bring to a boil and then add the minced garlic and parsley. Turn the heat down to medium.
Dust the cod with flour, then fry them in a separate pan of oil until golden brown. Remove and place them on paper towels to dry and absorb any excess moisture. Place them on a serving plate and serve with the tomato sauce.