Brodetto: How Italy's Fishermen Built a Masterpiece from Yesterday's Catch

Heat 60 ml olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until soft and pale golden — not browned, just sweet.

Add the sliced garlic and chili flakes. Cook another 3 minutes, stirring, until the garlic softens and the soffritto smells nutty. Do not rush this step; a raw soffritto never rounds out.

Pour in the white wine. Let it bubble and reduce by half, about 2 minutes.

Add the hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes. Season with salt. Simmer uncovered over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and darkens slightly.

Add the fish chunks. Nestle them gently into the sauce. Cover and cook 5 minutes without stirring.

Add the squid or cuttlefish rings. Move them carefully along the edges of the pot with a spoon — avoid disturbing the fish pieces. Cover and cook 3 minutes.

Add the shell-on shrimp, mussels, and clams. Cover and cook 4–5 minutes until all shellfish have opened and the shrimp are pink. Discard any mussels or clams that remain closed after 5 minutes.

Remove the pot from heat. Add the white wine vinegar and stir gently once or twice. Taste and adjust salt.

Scatter the roughly chopped parsley over the top — use most of the bunch. This is an ingredient, not a garnish.

Serve immediately in deep bowls with thick grilled bread. Drizzle a little raw olive oil over each bowl. Brodetto waits for no one — the seafood continues cooking in residual heat.