Name: Stoccafisso all’anconetana
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 100 min
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1,000 g Rehydrated stockfish (fully soaked, drained; central backbone removed; ready-to-cook weight, skin retained); 1,500 g Yellow-fleshed potatoes (peeled weight, in large wedges about 4 cm thick); 400 g Canned tomatoes (with their juice, broken into pieces); 200 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 333 ml Verdicchio white wine; 750 ml Water + Hot water (Water, 500 ml; initial cooking liquid Hot water, 250 ml; reserve; add only if needed, not all at once); 60 g Celery (trimmed, finely chopped); 75 g Onion (peeled, finely chopped); 70 g Carrot (peeled, finely chopped); 6 g Garlic (about 2 peeled cloves, minced); 2 g Fresh rosemary leaves (finely chopped); 0.5 g Dried chilli (optional); 6 g Fine salt (start with 3 g; remainder only after tasting)

Start with fully rehydrated stockfish, ready to cook. Keep its pieces intact and lay the potatoes above them after the first half-hour. Rock the casserole gently instead of stirring through the fish.

Make ahead Buy the fish already rehydrated and keep it chilled as directed by the fishmonger. Dry stockfish needs a separate soaking process before this recipe begins. Let the cooked dish settle for 20 minutes before serving.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 1 hr 40 min
Rest: 20 min
Serves: 6
Difficulty: Medium

Stoccafisso all’anconetana

Prep 30 min · Cook 1 hr 40 min · Rest 20 min · Serves 6 · Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Skip to the method

6 servings

1,000 g2¼ lb
Rehydrated stockfishfully soaked, drained; central backbone removed; ready-to-cook weight, skin retainedfully soaked, drained; central backbone removed; ready-to-cook weight, skin retained
1,500 g3¼ lb
Yellow-fleshed potatoespeeled weight, in large wedges about 4 cm thickpeeled weight, in large wedges about 1½ in thick
400 g14 oz
Canned tomatoeswith their juice, broken into pieceswith their juice, broken into pieces
200 ml¾ cup
Extra virgin olive oil
333 ml1⅓ cups
Verdicchio white wine
750 ml3¼ cups
Water + Hot waterWater, 500 ml; initial cooking liquid Hot water, 250 ml; reserve; add only if needed, not all at onceWater, 2 cups; initial cooking liquid Hot water, 1 cup; reserve; add only if needed, not all at once
60 g2 oz
Celerytrimmed, finely choppedtrimmed, finely chopped
75 g2¾ oz
Onionpeeled, finely choppedpeeled, finely chopped
70 g2½ oz
Carrotpeeled, finely choppedpeeled, finely chopped
6 g6 g
Garlicabout 2 peeled cloves, mincedabout 2 peeled cloves, minced
2 g2 g
Fresh rosemary leavesfinely choppedfinely chopped
0.5 g0.5 g
Dried chillioptionaloptional
6 g1 tsp
Fine saltstart with 3 g; remainder only after tastingstart with 3 g; remainder only after tasting

Equipment

Wide heavy casserole about 32 cm across and at least 6 litres, with lid
Food-safe low rack that fits the casserole, optional
Fish tweezers, sharp knife and broad serving spatula

Method

Check that the stockfish is fully rehydrated and flexible throughout. Remove the central backbone and any remaining pin bones, retaining the skin. Weigh 1 kg ready to cook and cut into pieces about 6–8 cm. Peel and weigh the potatoes, then cut large wedges about 4 cm thick. Finely chop the celery, onion, carrot, garlic and rosemary.Check that the stockfish is fully rehydrated and flexible throughout. Remove the central backbone and any remaining pin bones, retaining the skin. Weigh 2¼ lb ready to cook and cut into pieces about 2¼–3¼ in. Peel and weigh the potatoes, then cut large wedges about 1½ in thick. Finely chop the celery, onion, carrot, garlic and rosemary.
Set the stockfish skin-side down in the wide casserole, using a low food-safe rack if you have one. Scatter over the chopped aromatics, optional chilli and 3 g salt. Add all the oil, wine, tomatoes and 500 ml water. Bring gently to a simmer over moderate heat; allow about 10 minutes to heat through.Set the stockfish skin-side down in the wide casserole, using a low food-safe rack if you have one. Scatter over the chopped aromatics, optional chilli and 3 g salt. Add all the oil, wine, tomatoes and 2 cups water. Bring gently to a simmer over moderate heat; allow about 10 minutes to heat through.
Cover partly and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Add the potato wedges in a layer above the fish, cover and continue over very low heat for about 1 hour. Keep a quiet simmer, never a rolling boil. Rock the casserole occasionally without pushing a spoon through the fish. If the bottom starts drying, add hot water from the reserve a little at a time.Cover partly and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Add the potato wedges in a layer above the fish, cover and continue over very low heat for about 1 hour. Keep a quiet simmer, never a rolling boil. Rock the casserole occasionally without pushing a spoon through the fish. If the bottom starts drying, add hot water from the reserve a little at a time.
Test a thick potato wedge: a knife should enter easily. The fish should separate into tender flakes. Continue gently if either is still firm, adding a little water if needed. Taste the sauce before using any of the remaining salt. Remove from the heat, leave covered for 20 minutes and lift out the fish and potatoes with a broad spatula, spooning over the cooking sauce.Test a thick potato wedge: a knife should enter easily. The fish should separate into tender flakes. Continue gently if either is still firm, adding a little water if needed. Taste the sauce before using any of the remaining salt. Remove from the heat, leave covered for 20 minutes and lift out the fish and potatoes with a broad spatula, spooning over the cooking sauce.