Description
Ancona-style Brodetto is a traditional Italian fish stew featuring a tangy tomato-based broth with fresh red snapper, clams, and shrimp simmered with aromatic vegetables and herbs. Served over toasted Italian bread, this hearty and flavorful seafood stew brings the tastes of the Adriatic coast to your table.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
Broth and Seafood
- 1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
- 1.5 pounds red snapper fillets, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 0.5 cup white vinegar
- 3 cups fish stock
- 1 pound clams in shell, scrubbed
- 0.5 pound medium shrimp, with shells
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
To Serve
- 6 (3/4 inch thick) slices Italian bread, toasted
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large saucepan, Dutch oven, or preferably a clay pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, celery, carrot, parsley, garlic, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir until the onion softens and becomes translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add Tomatoes and Simmer: Stir in the mashed whole peeled tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes to develop the flavors.
- Cook Fish: Add the red snapper pieces and white vinegar (or substitute white wine if preferred). Cook the mixture until most of the liquid evaporates, approximately 10 minutes.
- Add Fish Stock and Simmer: Pour in the fish stock, cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 10 minutes to infuse the broth.
- Cook Clams: Gently stir in the scrubbed clams and cook until they open, about 2 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open.
- Add Shrimp: Stir in the shrimp and cook until they turn pink, approximately 3 minutes. Season the stew with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Serve: Place one slice of toasted Italian bread in the bottom of each bowl. Spoon the hot brodetto over the bread and serve immediately, allowing the bread to soak up the flavorful broth.
Notes
- This recipe is the classic Ancona-style brodetto featuring a tangy tomato and vinegar broth.
- You can customize the stew by adding other seafood such as lobster or different types of fish.
- Using a clay pot will enhance the stew’s authentic flavor but a heavy Dutch oven or large sauté pan can work well.
- Ensure clams are thoroughly scrubbed to remove sand and grit before cooking.
- Serve immediately to enjoy the bread soaked with the rich broth at its best.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 395 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 1006 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 48 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
