Port Recanati Fish Soup or Stew (Umbria)

Soups

Ingredients

Assorted fish - 3 1/2 pounds

Small cuttlefish or squid - 1 pound

Salt

Olive oil - 1 cup

Onion, thinly sliced - 1

Safflower or saffron - pinch

Pepper

Dry White Wine - 1 1/4 cups

Wine vinegar - 1-2 tbsps

Slices of fried bread

Clean the fish and cut the larger ones in even sized pieces. Remove the ink sac, eyes and cuttlebone from the cuttlefish, and cut them into strips. Wash all the fish carefully in plenty of salted water.

Heat the oil in a large heavy pan and saute the onion gently until golden. Add the cuttlefish and the dissolved safflower, and continue to cook gently. When the cuttlefish turn yellow, season with salt and pepper and cover with water. Bring  to a boil and cook over a low heat for 30 minutes.

Now take another large wide pan, if possiblle one with two handles. Cover the bottom of it with a layer of cicale; on top of them put the cooked cuttlefish, without their liquid - this comes later. Then add the pieces of firmer fleshed fish; finally, add the more delicate fleshed fish and the stock from the cuttlefish. There should not be more than three layers of fish. Mix the wine and wine vinegar with enough hot water almost to cover the fish, pour into the pan, check seasoning and cook over brisk heat for 15 mins, or until all the fish are tender, gently shaking the pan from time to time. Serve very hot with slices of fried bread.

Serves 6