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Italian · V The Canonical Dishes · Marche

Brodetto Marchigiano di Ancona — Adriatic Multi-Fish Soup with Vinegar

Ancona, Marche

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I

Origin

Ancona, Marche — the brodetto anconetana is documented in Ancona's port records from the 17th century. The 13 versions of Marchigiani brodetto (each port has its own) reflect the importance of the Adriatic fishing tradition to the Marche. The Ancona version is considered the archetype.

II

Description

Brodetto all'anconetana is one of the 13 versions of the Marchigiani fish stew (brodetto is the diminutive of brodo — broth) — the Ancona version uses white wine vinegar as its acidifying agent (rather than tomato or lemon), producing a sharp, clean-flavoured broth that is quite different from the Port Recanati saffron version. The preparation requires at least 9 types of Adriatic fish: scorpion fish (scorfano), gurnard (capone/triglia), weever (tracina), cuttlefish (seppie), clams (vongole), mussels (cozze), mantis shrimp (canocchie), skate (razza), and other local fish. Each is added in order of cooking time. The vinegar acidifies the broth throughout cooking; the result is bracingly sharp.

III

The Thread

—Multiple Atlantic fish cooked in stages in a tomato-based broth acidified with wine vinegar — the Portuguese caldeirada and the Marchigiani brodetto all'anconetana are parallel preparations; both use multiple species added in order of cooking time; both use vinegar as the acidifying element in the broth; both are served with bread Portuguese
—Multiple types of Mediterranean fish cooked in stages in an olive-oil and tomato broth — the Greek kakavia and the Marchigiani brodetto share the multi-fish, staged-addition structure; the Greek version uses lemon rather than vinegar for acidity; the management principle of adding firm fish first and delicate fish last is common to both Greek
IV

Flavour Context

Brodetto all'anconetana in the pot has a broth that is assertively sharp from the vinegar — clean, slightly sour, with the tomato providing colour and body. The Adriatic fish are perfectly cooked at their different stages; the mantis shrimp on top is the last addition and still slightly undercooked when the broth is served — residual heat completes it in the bowl. With thick-toasted Marchigiani bread, it is the most satisfying Adriatic fish meal.

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