Name: Baccalà with potatoes and peperoni cruschi
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 800 g Salt cod (Ready to cook, in four pieces of similar thickness; not dried unsalted stockfish.); 400 g Potato (Peel and cut into slices about 1 cm thick.); 40 g Peperoni di Senise (Unfried dried peppers; stems and seeds removed.); 300 ml Extra-virgin olive oil (For frying; reserve about 60 ml of pepper oil to dress the dish.); 1 clove Garlic (Peeled and lightly crushed.); 10 g Flat-leaf parsley (Leaves finely chopped and dry.); 3,000 ml Water (About 1000 ml for potatoes and 2000 ml for fish; both discarded.); Salt (To taste; taste the fish before adding any.)

Start with fully desalted salt cod ready for cooking. Keep the fried peppers dry and add them at the table so they retain their crunch.

Make ahead Buy the salt cod already desalted and ready to cook. The 50-minute total starts from that point and does not include desalting a dry salted fillet.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 30 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

Baccalà with potatoes and peperoni cruschi

Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min · Serves 4 · Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

Skip to the method

4 servings

800 g1¾ lb
Salt codReady to cook, in four pieces of similar thickness; not dried unsalted stockfish.Ready to cook, in four pieces of similar thickness; not dried unsalted stockfish.
400 g14 oz
PotatoPeel and cut into slices about 1 cm thick.Peel and cut into slices about ½ in thick.
40 g⅓ cup
Peperoni di SeniseUnfried dried peppers; stems and seeds removed.Unfried dried peppers; stems and seeds removed.
300 ml1¼ cups
Extra-virgin olive oilFor frying; reserve about 60 ml of pepper oil to dress the dish.For frying; reserve about ¼ cup of pepper oil to dress the dish.
1 clove1 clove
GarlicPeeled and lightly crushed.Peeled and lightly crushed.
10 g¼ oz
Flat-leaf parsleyLeaves finely chopped and dry.Leaves finely chopped and dry.
3,000 ml12⅔ cups
WaterAbout 1000 ml for potatoes and 2000 ml for fish; both discarded.About 4¼ cups for potatoes and 8½ cups for fish; both discarded.
SaltTo taste; taste the fish before adding any.To taste; taste the fish before adding any.

Method

Put the potato slices in a saucepan with their cooking water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 12–15 minutes, until a knife slips through without breaking the slices. Drain and keep warm.Put the potato slices in a saucepan with their cooking water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 12–15 minutes, until a knife slips through without breaking the slices. Drain and keep warm.
Meanwhile, bring the fish water to a gentle simmer in a wide saucepan. Lower in the desalted cod and cook gently for about 10–15 minutes, depending on thickness. The center should reach 63°C and the flesh should be opaque and separate into flakes. Do not let the water boil vigorously.Meanwhile, bring the fish water to a gentle simmer in a wide saucepan. Lower in the desalted cod and cook gently for about 10–15 minutes, depending on thickness. The center should reach 145.4°F and the flesh should be opaque and separate into flakes. Do not let the water boil vigorously.
Lift out the cod with a slotted spoon. Remove any skin and remaining bones, keeping the flesh in generous flakes. Arrange it with the warm potato slices on a platter or four plates.Lift out the cod with a slotted spoon. Remove any skin and remaining bones, keeping the flesh in generous flakes. Arrange it with the warm potato slices on a platter or four plates.
Wipe the dried peppers with a barely damp cloth if needed, then dry them thoroughly. Remove the stems and seeds and split the peppers into large pieces. Line a plate with absorbent paper.Wipe the dried peppers with a barely damp cloth if needed, then dry them thoroughly. Remove the stems and seeds and split the peppers into large pieces. Line a plate with absorbent paper.
Heat the oil in the small frying pan to about 120°C. Fry a few pepper pieces at a time for about 15 seconds, turning them once. Lift them out as soon as they brighten and stiffen; do not wait for them to turn brown. Leave on the paper for 5–10 minutes to cool and become crisp.Heat the oil in the small frying pan to about 250°F. Fry a few pepper pieces at a time for about 15 seconds, turning them once. Lift them out as soon as they brighten and stiffen; do not wait for them to turn brown. Leave on the paper for 5–10 minutes to cool and become crisp.
Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully measure about 60 ml of the warm pepper oil into a small heatproof bowl and add the crushed garlic. Let it infuse for 2 minutes, then remove the garlic. Spoon the oil over the cod and potatoes and add the parsley.Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully measure about ¼ cup of the warm pepper oil into a small heatproof bowl and add the crushed garlic. Let it infuse for 2 minutes, then remove the garlic. Spoon the oil over the cod and potatoes and add the parsley.
Taste before adding salt. Break the cooled peppers into a mix of small and larger pieces and scatter them over the fish just before serving. Keep them above the moist fish and potatoes rather than stirring them into the juices.Taste before adding salt. Break the cooled peppers into a mix of small and larger pieces and scatter them over the fish just before serving. Keep them above the moist fish and potatoes rather than stirring them into the juices.