Tuscan Diet - Fish and Seafood

Tuscany has over 250 km of coastline and many lakes and rivers within the region, so you can imagine that there is plenty of fresh fish and seafood available.

Fish and seafood for sale at the Mercato Centrale in Florence

Tuscans have included fish in their diet for centuries.  I absolutely love fish and to be in a region where there is an abundance is such a treat for me, considering I'm from the midwestern US where practically any and all fish found at supermarkets is (or was) frozen.

Palombo (dogfish) with olives and sage in olive oil

Orate (sea bream), branzino (sea bass), polpo (octopus), cozze (mussels), acciughe (anchovies), vongole (clams), calamari (squid) can all normally be found at pescherie (fish markets) and supermarkets around Tuscany.

Polpo (octopus) and ingredients before being dropped into the pot

Low in fat, calories and cholesterol, fish make a very healthy addition to your diet.  They are great sources of protein, vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids.  Omega-3's are incredibly heart healthy, so it's important to make sure you get some in your diet.

Muscles in pasta with cherry tomatoes

We eat fish and seafood in a multitude of ways.  Sometimes we toss the fish in a little flour and fry it up in olive oil.  Other times, we bake whole fish in the oven stuffed with herbs and lemon and drizzled with some olive oil.  Mussels in pasta sauces, boiled octopus, fritto misto (fried mixed seafood)...it's all delicious and all quite nutritious!

Fried latterini (smelt)

Baccalà  is one of our favorite fish to eat.  is salted cod, which looks rather unappetizing in its dried, salted form, but once it's soaked and cooked, it is absolutely delicious.  In Italy, you can find it dried as well as in its bagnato (wet) form.  Our favorite way to cook it is the way they do in Livorno.  Baccalà alla Livornese is a simple recipe, cooking the fish with a delightful tomato sauce, which is absolutely fabulous! 

Baccalà alla Livornese

800 grams baccalà bagnato (already soaked)
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
400 grams tomatoes (I used canned polpa, or crushed tomatoes, but you could use fresh and chop them up)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
parsley, chopped
salt and pepper (if needed)

Cut the baccalà into cubes around 2 inches (5 cm).  Rinse and squeeze dry.  Lightly flour the fish and and place into a heated pan with olive oil.  Fry all sides until brown.  Add tomatoes and garlic.  Cook a few minutes and add salt, if needed (it very well might not need salt, so be sure to taste it before you add any).  To finish the dish, sprinkle with parsley and cook for a couple more minutes before serving.