Cacciucco — Tuscan fish, squid and mussel soup over garlic toast

Check the cleaned fillets and remove any remaining bones or membranes. Pat the monkfish and hake dry, cut into pieces about 3–4 cm across and place in separate bowls. Cut the squid tubes into rings about 1 cm wide and divide larger clusters of tentacles into smaller sections. Keep the fish and squid refrigerated until you add them to the pot.

Rinse the mussels under cold running water, scrub the shells and pull off any beards. Discard mussels with cracked shells and any open ones that do not close when tapped lightly. Refrigerate the cleaned mussels; you will cook them toward the end of the squid's simmering time.

Finely chop 10 g of the garlic and the sage leaves; set aside the remaining 4 g of garlic for the toast. Heat the olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat, add the chopped garlic, sage and chili, and stir for about 1 minute until fragrant, without browning the garlic. Add the squid and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, then add the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute more. Pour in the wine, gently scrape the residue from the bottom with a wooden spoon and cook for 2–3 minutes.

Pour in 450 ml of water, bring to a gentle simmer and reduce the heat. Simmer with the lid slightly ajar for about 35–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squid is tender, not rubbery; extend this stage if needed before adding the fish. If the liquid evaporates quickly, close the lid a little further and lower the heat so the base does not stick. Toast the bread while the squid simmers, and when the squid is nearly tender, open the mussels as described in step 6.

The bread slices should be about 1.5 cm thick. Toast them in a dry wide skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes per side until golden and crisp; work in two batches if needed. While still warm, rub the toast with the cut sides of the reserved garlic cloves and set aside without covering to keep it crisp.

Bring the remaining 50 ml of water to a boil in a separate pot, add the mussels and cover immediately. Cook over medium-high heat for 4–6 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice, until the shells open; discard any that remain closed. Transfer the mussels to a bowl and carefully strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve lined with damp cheesecloth to catch any sand. Remove most mussels from their shells, leave a few in their shells for serving and cover the bowl.

Once the squid is tender, pour in the strained mussel liquid and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the monkfish pieces, wait for the liquid to return to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes from that point. Add the hake; once the liquid returns to a gentle simmer again, cook for another 6–8 minutes until both types of fish are cooked through and the flesh separates easily with a fork. Maintain a gentle simmer and gently move the pot instead of stirring vigorously, so the fish pieces hold their shape.

Add the mussels and warm over low heat for 1–2 minutes until hot. Taste the broth and only now add salt if needed, as the mussel juices are naturally salty. Place one slice of toast in the bottom of each of four deep bowls, divide the fish, squid and mussels among them, then ladle over the hot broth. Serve immediately, as the bread begins to soak up the soup while its edges are still crisp.