Pisa-style stockfish with potatoes is enjoyed year-round, as it is made with traditionally preserved fish. What changes with the season is the type of tomato: fresh in summer, canned peeled tomatoes in winter. Depending on personal taste, black pepper can be substituted with the more widely popular chili pepper. A Riesling is the recommended wine pairing.
Stockfish—cod dried by cold winds in Northern European countries—first began spreading across Italy in the 15th century.
The Pisa-style version of the recipe became established between the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly across the Arno Plain and in rural areas such as San Miniato, Cascina, and the Valdera.
For farmers, it was an ideal food: affordable, easy to store for long periods, rich in protein and therefore nutritious, and still edible days after cooking. Adding another staple of the peasant diet—potatoes, cut into irregular pieces—makes the dish even more nutritious and filling. Pisa-style stockfish showcases some of the region’s finest ingredients, including olive oil from the Monti Pisani, Tuscan tomatoes, and the aromatic herbs and vegetables (known as odori) from the Arno Plain: finely chopped onion, celery, and carrot.
Recipe
Serves 4
Ingredients
● 600 g (approx. 1.3 lbs) stockfish
● 1 white onion
● 3 medium yellow potatoes
● 200 g (approx. 7 oz) fresh ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded (or canned plum tomatoes)
● Fresh basil
● Fresh flat-leaf parsley
● 1 glass (approx. 200 ml / ¾ cup) extra virgin olive oil
● Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1) Prepare the stockfish: before beginning the recipe, submerge the stockfish in cold fresh water for at least 30 minutes. Once soaked, remove it from the water, squeeze out excess moisture, and shred it by hand into small flakes. If you like, keep the skin, cutting it into thin strips.
2) Parboil the potatoes: while the stockfish is soaking, peel the potatoes and boil them until just al dente—about 15 minutes should be enough.
3) Build the base: finely chop the onion and gently sauté it in a pan (traditionally a terracotta pot) with virgin olive oil. Add the chopped tomatoes along with a few leaves of basil and parsley, torn by hand.
4) Simmer: once the onion is golden—taking care not to burn it—add the shredded stockfish and the skin. Stir well, season with salt and pepper to taste, pour in half a glass of water, and leave to simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally.
5) Combine and finish: after 5 minutes, add the potatoes, cut into pieces, and continue cooking for another 10 to 15 minutes.
6) Serve: serve hot.