Cacciucco Livornese is the Tuscan culinary tradition in the pot. The most famous soup in all of Italy was born in Livorno and is now part of its history, being as old as the city of Livorno.
Let’s talk about an older recipe that I know of. It is said that the recipe practically started around 1800. And the most surprising thing for me is that cacciucco has an infinite number of legends related to its birth.
Livorno Cacciucco: Tuscan tradition in the pot. Origins.
Obviously it was born in Livorno but there are several versions. It is not clear how it was born. Who says that first notes are found in a pilgrim’s recipe book. It is also said I invent the look of the lighthouse or it is also said that cacciucco was born to feed slaves. And even some sources say it has Phoenician origins.
There is a legend that says that this soup was born from the donations of fishermen to a poor family, of which the father did not return from fishing after a bad storm in the sea.
It is said that to prepare good caciucco serve different varieties of fish. Here is the recipe:
Ingredients
- Fish: gurnard, dogfish, mussels, octopus, cicadas, cuttlefish.
- Spices: salt, chilli, sage
- Water and sauce or tomatoes, wine, bread
Cacciucco Livornese is the Tuscan culinary tradition. Recipe.
- Clean the fish and cut into fairly large pieces
Garlic, oil, chilli and fresh sage – sauté. Add the octopus and cook for (10 min). - Add the cuttlefish and deglaze with the red wine (5 min) and then add the sauce by stretching with hot water. (20 min)
- Add the gurnard and dogfish (10 min)
- Add the clean cicadas and mussels (5 min), plus the spices.
- Toast the bread
Variety of cacciucco.
Cacciucco obviously eats in Livorno, right in his hometown, but did you know that there is also the cacciucco viareggino made in Viareggio? Then we see the differences:
CACCIUCCO LIVORNESE has a strong and decisive taste due to the long cooking, the sauté, lots of garlic and wine.
CACCIUCCO VIAREGGINO certainly has a much more delicate flavor. In Viareggio the cacciucco does not fry, does not add garlic and uses the most delicate fish and lighter wine.
Where to eat cacciucco.
After seeing the history, origins, variety and preparation of this delicious soup, surely you felt like tasting it. Here’s where to eat the cacciucco:
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