Brodetto all'Anconetana

Along the Adriatic coast, every fishing port has its brodetto, and every port believes its version is the only correct one. They argue about vinegar, saffron, tomatoes, the number of fish, the shape of the pot. The fishermen of Ancona will tell you their brodetto is the original, and they will tell you this with such conviction that you may believe them.

What distinguishes Ancona's version is the white wine vinegar, added early and cooked down until its sharpness becomes merely a bright note beneath the saffron and tomato. The Venetians would never dream of such a thing. The Romagnoli to the north add it only at the end, if at all. The cooks of Ancona add it boldly and defend their choice.

This is not a stew you stir. The fish are layered according to how long they take to cook, the firmest at the bottom, the most delicate on top. You may shake the pan. You may not insert a spoon. A spoon destroys the fish, and destroyed fish cannot be served to guests.

The number thirteen appears in old recipes, a reference to the supposed abundance of Adriatic catches and perhaps to certain superstitions. Today, you use what your fishmonger has, what is freshest, what swam in the sea that morning. Six varieties, chosen well, make a finer brodetto than thirteen chosen poorly.