Casarecce con Merluzzo alla Siciliana

The casarecce hold pieces of cod and the juices of grape tomatoes. Black olives and capers sharpen the fish with briny intensity, basil adds a fresh herbal note, and chili pepper gives the finish a gentle spark.

The name casarecce echoes casareccio, an Italian word derived from casa that means homemade or in the style of the home. Cod adds a wider Mediterranean history: Regione Siciliana notes that cod and stockfish came from Northern Europe and were transformed in Sicily into Mediterranean dishes. It is a compact lesson in how island cooking absorbed distant trade goods and made them feel local.