Cacciucco in Livorno

Having spent most of the day in Pisa and Lucca, I wanted to stop by Livorno before heading to Genova, just to eat the town’s most famous dish – Cacciucco alla Livornese. Checking the internet on a small blackberry, we came across Trattoria da Gallileo on Via della Campana, 20/22, that they specialize in Cacciucco and other fish delights. Walking in the restaurant, I was amazed at the number of diplomas, newspaper clippings, and celebrity photos and autographs on the wall. Most of them are Italian celebrities, I suppose, but I did recognize a photograph of Claudia Sheiffer, the supermodel.

Cacciucco is a substantial meal, I am glad I didn’t order anything else other than a simple contorni of sautéed vegetables. There was a whole fish, a couple of fish filet, squid, eel, langoustine and octopus, cooked in a rich onion and red wine sauce, all the seafood atop two pieces of bread, which were well-soaked in the gravy. It was delicious and provided me with the benchmark should I every try to make it back home. My partner had a Stoccafisso (dried cod) with potatoes, which was really delicious as well.