Stintino-Style Fish Soup

Gut, scale, and cut into pieces scorpionfish, John Dory, conger eel, lucerna or cucco, and other available varieties. Also clean thoroughly. cuttlefish and octopus, then cut them into small pieces or strips. Finish preparing the dish before turning on the heat, so you can add each ingredient at the right time.

Pour the extra virgin olive oil into a large saucepan and add the chopped onion. Gently sauté over medium heat and intervene before the onion browns: it should soften and become translucent, without taking on a dark color or a burnt aroma.

Unite cuttlefish and octopus already cut, then add the tomato paste, garlic, the chili pepper and parsley. Let it cook for about 20 minutes, stirring gently. The sauce should be fragrant and thickened, while the shellfish will begin to absorb the flavor without the tomato sticking to the pan.

Add the gutted, scaled, and chopped fish directly to the bottom of the pot, without waiting for the liquid to boil. Arrange the firmer fish first and handle the contents carefully to keep the pieces intact and distribute the seasoning evenly.

Pour in enough water to cover the fish. Be careful not to overwhelm the ingredients: the liquid should envelop the ingredients and form the base of the soup. Then, bring the pot to a steady boil, ensuring a gentle, steady, and not aggressive boil.

Add the varieties based on the different cooking times: first add octopus, cuttlefish and conger eel, then add the other fish. If you'd like to top the soup with potatoes, add them along with the slower-cooking ingredients. Maintain a moderate boil until the shellfish are tender and the fish is cooked through.

Season with salt to taste Only when the soup is cooked, tasting the broth to calibrate the intensity without covering the flavor of the fish. Serve piping hot with the hard fisherman's biscuits; if desired, rub the biscuits with a clove of garlic before serving them with the soup.