Fish from the Adriatic Sea

Romagna cuisine has two distinct souls, reflected in the variety of its traditional recipes. On one hand, the flavoursome dishes of rural origin: home-made pasta, meat, cured meats and local cheeses, accompanied by red Sangiovese wine. On the other, fish from the Adriatic Sea enriches the table with the flavours of the sea, its simple preparations releasing unique tastes.

From the Lidi di Ravenna to the borders of Romagna and beyond, there are as many recipes as there are fish that the Adriatic offers to the fishing fleets. These range from oily fish to shellfish, as in Cattolica, known for its clams but also for a speciality of oysters, or Marina di Ravenna with its mussels, right through to the eel typical of the Valli di Comacchio.

Here are the most celebrated fish recipes of Romagna.

Fish broth

This is a truly ancient preparation, once widely made in the coastal towns of Romagna, as it was nutritious and cheap. If you are lucky enough to find a Romagna osteria that still serves it, try it: you won't be disappointed.

Ingredients [for 4 people]
1.5 kg mixed fish
1 carrot
1 stick of celery
1 onion
½ glass of extra virgin olive oil
salt, to taste

Method
To make fish broth, the heads and trimmings of particularly inexpensive fish, such as gobies, are used, well cleaned and washed. Fry a mixture of chopped carrot, celery and onion in the oil; add the mixed fish and a little salt. Fry for about ten minutes, stirring often, add enough water and boil for at least 45 minutes. If cooked in a pressure cooker, 15 minutes is enough. The broth should then be strained carefully through a fine sieve. Ideal with passatelli and thin tagliolini.

Brodetto (Adriatic fish stew)

This classic seafarers' dish, of which there are countless versions, can be a "Michelin-starred" dish when made properly and with the right ingredients. It can be prepared with various types of fish suited to brodetto, but some fish are essential and appear in every version, such as scorpion fish and red mullet.

Ingredients [for 6 people]
2 kg fish: John Dory, grey mullet, red mullet, mantis shrimp, cuttlefish, dogfish, scorpion fish.
250 g tomato sauce
½ glass of extra virgin olive oil
4-5 cloves of garlic
½ glass of strong vinegar
½ glass of extra virgin olive oil
croutons
salt and pepper

Method
In a wide, shallow, heavy-bottomed pan, put the extra virgin olive oil and 4-5 cloves of garlic (to be removed once golden), add the tomato sauce, salt, pepper and vinegar. Once the vinegar has completely evaporated, add the fish, well cleaned and washed. Place the fish that take longer to cook and the larger pieces at the bottom of the pan, then gradually add the smaller, more delicate ones. Cover with water and simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes. Serve with a generous grinding of pepper and fried or toasted croutons.

Rustida: the Romagna fish grill

The varieties of fish that make up the famous Romagna fish grill are countless: on the grill you can put mantis shrimp, small sardines, cannelli, sole, red mullet, anchovies, turbot, monkfish, etc.

Ingredients
fish of your choice
breadcrumbs
garlic
parsley
½ glass of extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Method
Clean, wash and thoroughly dry the fish. Prepare the coating by mixing the breadcrumbs with oil, salt, pepper, garlic and parsley. Coat the fish with this mixture until well covered. Then place it on the grill, about 20 cm from the heat. It should cook slowly, and the fish should be turned often so it doesn't burn: it needs to stay fairly soft and moist.

Pan-fried anchovies

This is a very quick and tasty preparation. What matters most is the raw ingredient: very fresh anchovies. In many fish markets they are sold already well cleaned, ready to cook.

Ingredients [for 4 people]
1 kg anchovies
3 cloves of garlic
½ glass of extra virgin olive oil
vinegar
parsley
salt and pepperMethod
Use a wide, shallow pan, add half a glass of oil and a few cloves of garlic, to be removed once nicely golden. Add the anchovies, well cleaned of head and innards, and after 10 minutes add half a glass of vinegar. Let it evaporate slowly and, at the end of cooking, add a generous handful of chopped parsley. Serve piping hot.