Salted Cod with Chickpeas

Salted cod with chickpeas is only good when the cod is soaked properly. If the baccalà is still too salty, no amount of tomato or chickpeas will fix the dish. Taste a small flake before cooking and rinse again if needed.

The sauce should be gentle and earthy. Chickpeas bring body, while the cod adds savoury depth. The fish should flake cleanly, not boil apart.

Check the Salt Cod Before You Start

If using dried salted cod, soak it in cold water ahead of time, changing the water several times. Many shops sell it already soaked, but it is still worth tasting a little piece after poaching or rinsing.

Remove bones and cut the cod into even pieces. Smaller pieces cook quickly, so add them only once the chickpeas and sauce are ready.

Ingredients for Baccalà with Chickpeas

700 g soaked salted cod, cleaned and cut into pieces.
400 g cooked chickpeas.
300 g tomatoes or passata.
1 onion and 1 garlic clove.
Rosemary or bay leaf.
Extra virgin olive oil.
Fresh parsley.
Salt and black pepper, used carefully.

Let the Chickpeas Take the Flavour First

Soften onion and garlic in olive oil, then add tomato and herbs. Simmer until the sauce is no longer raw. Add the chickpeas and let them cook in the sauce so they absorb flavour before the fish goes in.

If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of hot water. It should be spoonable, not dry.

Add the Cod Gently

Lay the cod pieces into the sauce and cook at a low simmer. Avoid stirring hard; spoon sauce over the fish instead. When the cod flakes easily, it is ready.

Balancing Salt, Tomato and Chickpeas

The chickpeas should taste seasoned but not salty. Because baccalà can vary a lot, add salt only after the fish has simmered in the sauce. Sometimes the cod gives enough seasoning on its own.

Tomato should support the dish, not turn it into a sharp sauce. If the passata tastes acidic, cook it a little longer with olive oil before adding the cod.

Serving Salted Cod with Chickpeas

Serve it with toasted bread or boiled potatoes. The dish is satisfying enough to be a main course, especially when the sauce is thick enough to spoon over the chickpeas.