Step 1

REHYDRATE & DESALT THE BACCALA: First, rinse the baccala well under running water to remove any surface salt. Then, soak it for 2 to 3 days to rehydrate it and pull most of the salt out of it. Immerse the baccala (can be cut down into smaller pieces) in a large bowlful of cold water to cover by a couple inches, cover and place it in the refrigerator. Ideally, prop it up on something, like a small, upside-down bowl, in the soaking container so the salt, as it dissolves off the fish, sinks to the bottom, and doesn’t remain in contact with the fish. Change the water at least twice daily.

Step 2

Once the baccala has soaked for 2 days or so, check if it is sufficiently desalted by taste-testing a bit of the soaking water.  If it seems really salty, change the water again and let it soak a bit more. Also, the soaking water should be more-or-less clear once the baccala has soaked enough.Keep in mind that you can always add salt to the recipe later, but you cannot fix salty cod once it has been mixed with other ingredients. Be patient and allow yourself enough time for this soaking process.

Step 3

Once the baccala has finished soaking, rinse it under cold running water, cut it down into large pieces and pat it dry with a paper towel. Then prep and gather the remaining salad ingredients.(Please see the section above in the blog post forStep-By-Step instructions with photos.)

Step 4

COOK THE POTATOES: Place the prepped potatoes in a pot then cover them with cold water by a couple inches. Bring water to a boil, add about 1 Tbsp salt and boil the potatoes until they are about 2/3 cooked (about 10 minutes), then drain them and set them aside. (The potatoes will finish cooking in the tomato sauce along with the baccala, fyi.)

Step 5

COOK THE BACCALA STEW: Pour the olive oil into a deep pan, braiser or Dutch oven that’s large and deep enough to hold all the baccala and potatoes without being crowded. Heat over medium, then add the celery, half the parsley, garlic, anchovy and crushed red pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften, stirring a few times. (You can cover the pot to speed this process up a bit if you want.)

Step 6

Then, pour the wine in and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits.

Step 7

Next, add the tomatoes and water and black pepper and stir.

Step 8

Carefully add the drained, par-cooked potatoes and stir, then the pieces of salt cod, nestling them in the sauce. Partially cover and cook for about 15minutes, adjusting the temperature to keep the stew at a simmer. Lightly stir the mixture a few times to make sure it’s not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook until the potatoes are tender and the baccala flakes easily. Try not to overcook the mixture, as overcooked fish will fall apart easily.

Step 9

If you’re including the olives, sprinkle them in about 5 minutes before the baccala in tomato sauce is finished cooking.

Step 10

Taste test the sauce to see if it needs any salt. It may not need any due to the salt content of the baccala, anchovies and olives (if including).Then, sprinkle the remaining chopped parsley over the baccala with potatoes and it’s ready to serve. Buon Appetito!