Recipe for bonito in oil

"Pesce di passo" (translates to "fish of passage”), the palamita belongs to the tuna and mackerel family, to which it resembles in appearance. It has an elongated body (it can reach up to 80 cm in length), fusiform, and is easily recognizable by some black streaks that cross it obliquely on a background of electric blue.

The palamita are fished throughout the marine area of the Tuscan Archipelago with large nets called "palamitare." The fishing season lasts from late spring through summer and again from late September until the end of November. It is characterized by firm and flavorful meat and lends itself to many gastronomic preparations: grilled, seasoned with fine herbs, oil, and salt, or stewed with tomatoes, parsley, garlic, capers, olives, and chili (which in Elba is called ginger).

The tradition of preserving palamita in oil arrived in Elba with the fishermen from Ponza who settled in Marina di Campo in the 1960s: the larger fish are boiled after being cut into fillets and then stored in oil with bay leaves, pepper, and the essential "ginger."

Palamita in oil can be enjoyed on its own, pierced with a fork, or inside Mediterranean or exotic salads, but it is fantastic served in combination with boiled cannellini beans, wedges of ripe tomatoes, fresh onion, and basil.

Difficulty: easy
Cost: medium
Serves: 4 jars of 500 g each
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Pairing with Elban wines: Elba Ansonica D.O.C.

Ingredients

Approximately 2 kg of palamita, 3 liters of water, one large onion, one glass of white vinegar, 270 g of coarse salt, black peppercorns, cloves, chili, 2/3 bay leaves, olive oil or seed oil

Preparation

Clean the palamita and remove the head, tail, and entrails. Cut it into thick chunks, at least 2 cm thick, and wash it thoroughly to remove the blood, making it appear white.

Pour three liters of cold water into a pot and add the onion, black peppercorns, cloves, vinegar, and salt. Turn off the heat as soon as the water reaches a boil. Immerse the chunks, arranging them neatly at the bottom of the pot. Bring the water back to a boil and cook on very low heat for about two hours, keeping the pot covered to minimize water evaporation.

Turn off the heat and let it cool. Remove the chunks, keeping the cooking water, and remove the skin, bones, and dark parts. Rinse in the reserved water and leave the palamita to dry, wrapped in a cloth, for at least 3/4 hours.

Once the palamita is cooled and dried, place the chunks in glass jars. Flavor with peppercorns or chili and bay leaves, cover with oil, and store.

Let it "mature" for at least one month.

Photo by Gabila Gerardi - Blog Panedolcealcioccolato
Header photo by Scatti di Gusto