GINO’S BELLISSIMO BROTH

A traditional taste of coastal Italy from Gino D’acampo’s latest travels

Prawn & monkfish brodetto

Once considered a poor man’s food, Italian fish soup can now be found in the best restaurants along the Adriatic coast. You’ll find traditional brodetti (broths) everywhere from Trieste to Puglia, although the recipe varies between regions. I’ve used prawns and monkfish here, but any white fish would work just as well. Serve with fresh, crusty bread for dunking.

SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 30 mins EASY

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

75g diced smoked pancetta

1 celery stick, finely chopped

1 fennel bulb, cored and finely chopped 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped 400g can chopped tomatoes 100ml dry white wine

400ml hot fish stock

5 fresh basil leaves, shredded, plus whole leaves to garnish

1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus extra for garnish

500g skinless monkfish fillets, roughly chopped into bite-sized pieces 100g large peeled prawns, raw and de-veined

1 Heat the oil in a medium pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the pancetta, celery, fennel and carrot and cook for 2 mins, stirring continuously.

2 Increase the heat to high. Add the tomatoes, wine, stock, basil and parsley and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 10 mins, stirring occasionally, then season with salt and pepper. 3 Reduce the heat and add the monkfish. Simmer gently for 5 mins, stirring occasionally, then add the prawns and cook for 5 mins. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with parsley.

GOOD TO KNOW low cal • 2 of 5-a-day

PER SERVING 325 kcals • fat 15g • saturates 4g • carbs 10g • sugars 9g • fibre 5g • protein 30g • salt 1.1g

Recipe adapted from Gino’s Italian Adriatic Escape (£20, Hodder & Stoughton). Gino D’acampo explores Italy’s east coast in New Gino’s Italian Coastal Escape, on ITV this autumn. Photographs © Dan Jones.