Rome (Ghetto), Lazio
Roman-Jewish in origin, this preparation of desalted salt cod braises the fillets in a sweet-sour sauce of olive oil, tomato, golden raisins, pine nuts, and roasted bell peppers — the agrodolce treatment that crosses the Roman ghetto's medieval Sephardic heritage. The cod is floured and lightly fried first to form a crust, then braised gently in the sauce for 15 minutes. The sweet-sour-savoury balance is delicate and intentional.
Sweet-sour-savoury desalted cod in a sauce of roasted peppers, raisins, and pine nuts — five centuries of Sephardic heritage distilled into the Roman Jewish kitchen
{"Baccalà desalted over 48 hours (minimum 3 water changes); taste a piece raw — it should be mildly salty","Flour, shake off excess, fry in plenty of olive oil until golden on both sides; drain","Soffritto: golden raisins soaked in warm water 10 min, pine nuts toasted dry; sauté in same pan","Add roasted peppers (peeled, deseeded), passata, and a tablespoon of wine vinegar; warm together","Nestle the fried cod into the sauce; braise at the lowest heat 12–15 minutes, basting occasionally"}
{"A splash of white wine vinegar in the sauce is not optional — the agrodolce balance requires the acid","Serve at room temperature (the Roman-Jewish tradition) or warm — both are correct","Any leftovers can be folded into pasta or spread on toasted bread as a pâté"}
{"Insufficient desalting — the dish becomes inedibly salty","Overcooked cod — it should yield but not flake completely; it continues cooking off the heat","Using raw rather than roasted peppers — raw peppers in the sauce create a harsh, grassy flavour"}
La Cucina Ebraico-Romana — Donatella Limentani Pavoncello