Tuscany Main Course
Cacciucco
Make cacciucco with mixed seafood, tomato, garlic, wine, chili, and toasted bread for a Tuscan fish stew.
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 1 hr 25 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Advanced
Instructions
- Clean the seafood and cut firm fish and squid into manageable pieces.
- Cook garlic and chili in olive oil until fragrant.
- Add wine and simmer briefly, then add tomatoes and stock.
- Simmer the base until it tastes full and slightly reduced.
- Add squid and firm fish first, then shellfish and shrimp near the end.
- Cook just until the seafood is done and mussels have opened.
- Serve over toasted bread rubbed with garlic and finish with parsley.
This cacciucco recipe makes a Tuscan seafood stew with tomato, garlic, wine, chili, and toasted bread. It is robust rather than delicate, with the broth carrying the flavor of several kinds of seafood.
Why This Cacciucco Recipe Works
A reduced tomato base gives the stew depth before the seafood goes in. Staggered cooking keeps squid tender and prevents shrimp or fish from drying out.
Key Tips
- Choose a mix of seafood rather than only one type.
- Discard shellfish that do not open after cooking.
- Toast the bread well so it can absorb broth without collapsing immediately.
Variations and Serving Ideas
The same technique helps when you want Tuscan fish stew, Livorno seafood stew, and Italian tomato fish stew. Keep the character of Cacciucco in mind: choose good ingredients, control texture, and serve the dish when its flavor and texture are at their best.
Tuscany Main Course seafoodstewtuscancoastal
