Marche — Pesaro, Adriatic coast
Fish stew from Pesaro on the Adriatic coast of Marche — one of Italy's most distinctive regional brodetti. The Pesarese version is characterised by its use of white wine vinegar (not wine) as the souring agent, and the inclusion of mantis shrimp (canocchie/cicale di mare), cuttlefish, and at least four or five different Adriatic fish. The base is a simple tomato and onion soffritto; the different fish are added in a precise sequence based on cooking time. The broth should be thin and clean — not thickened or pureed — with an assertive vinegar sharpness.
Sharp, vinegar-forward Adriatic broth with the sweetness of fresh fish; the cuttlefish ink (if used) adds oceanic depth; the bread soaks the broth and becomes more flavourful than the fish — sea in a bowl
{"Add fish strictly in order of density: cuttlefish and mantis shrimp first (toughest), firm fish (monkfish, skate) mid-cook, delicate fish (sole, whiting) last 5 minutes","Use white wine vinegar (not wine) — the vinegar provides the sharp, acidic identity characteristic of the Pesarese version","Keep the broth thin — this is not a bisque or a blended soup; the broth should be a clear, tomato-tinged liquid","Scale only the fish that require it — mussels and mantis shrimp are cooked in their shells, which contribute flavour","Serve with toasted Pesarese bread rubbed with garlic — the bread soaks the broth and is the primary eating experience"}
{"Mantis shrimp (canocchie) should be scored along the underside before cooking — the shells split more easily and the meat comes out cleanly","The vinegar is added to the soffritto during cooking, not at the end — it must cook into the base before the fish is added","A drizzle of raw olive oil over each bowl at service adds richness and separates the Pesarese brodetto from simpler versions","Clean the cuttlefish ink sac separately and add the ink to the broth for the black version — inky brodetto is a Pesaro speciality"}
{"Adding all fish simultaneously — different proteins have completely different cook times; simultaneous addition guarantees some are overcooked","Using red wine vinegar instead of white — the colour and flavour are wrong for the Pesarese style","Thickening the broth with bread or flour — the Pesarese brodetto is a thin, clear soup; thickening produces a different dish","Using frozen fish — the Adriatic brodetto depends on same-day fresh local fish; frozen fish creates a watery, flat broth"}
La Cucina delle Marche (Slow Food Editore)