Description
This authentic Ancona-style Brodetto is a vibrant Italian fish stew featuring a tangy tomato base, fresh red snapper, clams, shrimp, and aromatic vegetables. Perfectly balanced with a splash of white vinegar and served with toasted Italian bread, it captures the essence of coastal Italian cooking.
Ingredients
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
Seafood and Liquids
- 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
For Serving
- 6 (3/4 inch thick) slices Italian bread, toasted
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large saucepan, Dutch oven, or 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 turns translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add Tomatoes: Stir in the mashed whole peeled tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes to develop the flavors and reduce the sauce slightly.
- Cook Fish with Vinegar: Add the red snapper pieces and white vinegar. Cook uncovered until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes, allowing the fish to absorb the tangy flavor.
- Simmer with Fish Stock: Pour in fish stock, cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and let it simmer gently for 10 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Add Shellfish: Gently stir in the clams and cook until they open, about 2 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open.
- Add Shrimp and Season: Stir in the shrimp and cook until they turn pink, approximately 3 minutes. Season the stew with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
- Serve: Place one slice of toasted Italian bread at the bottom of each bowl. Spoon the hot brodetto over the bread and serve immediately.
Notes
- This Ancona-style brodetto features a tangy tomato-based broth filled with fresh clams, shrimp, and fish for a vibrant seafood stew experience.
- You can enhance the stew by adding lobster for additional richness and flavor.
- Using a clay pot is traditional and helps develop authentic flavors.
- Serve with toasted Italian bread to soak up the delicious broth.
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
