Name: Cacciucco livornese
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 500 g Octopus (Cut into 2 cm pieces, including the tentacles.); 500 g Cuttlefish (Cut into strips 1 cm wide.); 400 g Monkfish tail (Cut into 4 cm chunks.); 200 g Gurnard (Cleaned whole weight; portion into large bone-in pieces.); 200 g Scorpionfish (Cleaned whole weight; external spines and gills removed by fishmonger.); 200 g Mantis shrimp (Whole shell-on weight; rinse and trim edges.); 200 g Mussels (Scrub and debeard; discard damaged shells.); 300 g Ripe Tomatoes (Chop finely with their juice.); 50 g Double tomato concentrate (Mix into the aromatic base.); 100 ml Red wine (For the sauce.); 80 ml Extra-virgin olive oil (For the aromatics.); 3 cloves Garlic (Chop 2 cloves; halve 1 for rubbing the toast.); 80 g Onion (Prepared weight; finely chop.); 40 g Celery (Finely chop the stalk.); 40 g Carrot (Peel and finely chop.); 5 leaves Fresh sage (Slice finely.); 2 g Fresh hot chili (Finely chop.); 6 g Salt (For the stew.); 300 ml Water (Use 200 ml first and reserve 100 ml for the covered simmer.); 200 g Stale Tuscan bread (Cut 4 slices of about 50 g each.)

Keep the seafood in separate dishes so you can add it in stages.

Make ahead Chop the aromatics and prepare the seafood first; cook the stew and toast the bread before serving.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 1 hr 10 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Medium

Cacciucco livornese

Prep 35 min · Cook 1 hr 10 min · Serves 4 · Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Skip to the method

4 servings

500 g1 lb
OctopusCut into 2 cm pieces, including the tentacles.Cut into ¾ in pieces, including the tentacles.
500 g1 lb
CuttlefishCut into strips 1 cm wide.Cut into strips ½ in wide.
400 g14 oz
Monkfish tailCut into 4 cm chunks.Cut into 1½ in chunks.
200 g7 oz
GurnardCleaned whole weight; portion into large bone-in pieces.Cleaned whole weight; portion into large bone-in pieces.
200 g7 oz
ScorpionfishCleaned whole weight; external spines and gills removed by fishmonger.Cleaned whole weight; external spines and gills removed by fishmonger.
200 g7 oz
Mantis shrimpWhole shell-on weight; rinse and trim edges.Whole shell-on weight; rinse and trim edges.
200 g7 oz
MusselsScrub and debeard; discard damaged shells.Scrub and debeard; discard damaged shells.
300 g10½ oz
Ripe TomatoesChop finely with their juice.Chop finely with their juice.
50 g1¾ oz
Double tomato concentrateMix into the aromatic base.Mix into the aromatic base.
100 ml½ cup
Red wineFor the sauce.For the sauce.
80 ml⅓ cup
Extra-virgin olive oilFor the aromatics.For the aromatics.
3 cloves3 cloves
GarlicChop 2 cloves; halve 1 for rubbing the toast.Chop 2 cloves; halve 1 for rubbing the toast.
80 g2¾ oz
OnionPrepared weight; finely chop.Prepared weight; finely chop.
40 g1½ oz
CeleryFinely chop the stalk.Finely chop the stalk.
40 g1½ oz
CarrotPeel and finely chop.Peel and finely chop.
5 leaves5 leaves
Fresh sageSlice finely.Slice finely.
2 g2 g
Fresh hot chiliFinely chop.Finely chop.
6 g1 tsp
SaltFor the stew.For the stew.
300 ml1¼ cups
WaterUse 200 ml first and reserve 100 ml for the covered simmer.Use ¾ cup first and reserve ½ cup for the covered simmer.
200 g7 oz
Stale Tuscan breadCut 4 slices of about 50 g each.Cut 4 slices of about 1¾ oz each.

Equipment

Heavy lidded casserole
Fish spatula
Bread knife
Toaster or grill

Method

Heat the oil in the casserole. Add the onion, celery, carrot, chopped garlic, sage and chili. Cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring, until the onion softens.Heat the oil in the casserole. Add the onion, celery, carrot, chopped garlic, sage and chili. Cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring, until the onion softens.
Add the octopus and cook gently for 15 minutes. Stir in the cuttlefish and cook for another 5 minutes.Add the octopus and cook gently for 15 minutes. Stir in the cuttlefish and cook for another 5 minutes.
Stir in the concentrate, tomatoes, wine, 200 ml water and salt. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the octopus yields to a fork. Add the reserved 100 ml water in 25 ml additions if the sauce starts catching; keep the simmer gentle.Stir in the concentrate, tomatoes, wine, ¾ cup water and salt. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the octopus yields to a fork. Add the reserved ½ cup water in 1¾ tbsp additions if the sauce starts catching; keep the simmer gentle.
Arrange the gurnard, scorpionfish and monkfish over the sauce and cover for 5 minutes. Add the mussels and mantis shrimp, cover and finish for about 7 minutes, until the fish is opaque and the mussels open. Discard closed mussels.Arrange the gurnard, scorpionfish and monkfish over the sauce and cover for 5 minutes. Add the mussels and mantis shrimp, cover and finish for about 7 minutes, until the fish is opaque and the mussels open. Discard closed mussels.
Toast the bread while the fish finishes. Rub one side with the remaining halved garlic clove and put a slice in each bowl. Divide the seafood over the bread, removing visible backbones, then spoon over the dense sauce.Toast the bread while the fish finishes. Rub one side with the remaining halved garlic clove and put a slice in each bowl. Divide the seafood over the bread, removing visible backbones, then spoon over the dense sauce.