Buridda

How to make it

1. Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in plenty of lukewarm water for 20 minutes. They're ready when they're soft all the way through and the water is dark and smells strongly of mushroom. ⏱ 20 min · passive
2. Cut the cleaned baby squid into bite-sized pieces. Pat the thick pieces of white fish completely dry with paper towels so they don't water down the pot later. ⏱ 10 min
3. Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat and sauté the finely chopped onion for 5-7 minutes. It should turn glossy and soft without taking on color.
   Chef's tip Give the onion a pinch of salt from the start: it draws out the water so the onion steams itself soft instead of browning. Listen for a quiet hiss, not a loud sizzle.
4. Stir the garlic, half the parsley and the finely chopped anchovy fillets into the oil and let it cook for 2 minutes. The anchovies should melt completely and disappear into the oil, since they're what seasons the dish from within.
   Chef's tip Anchovy is salt-cured, and four fillets plus capers and olives carry real salt into the pot. Season lightly at step 8 and taste again at the end, once the sauce has reduced and the olives have given up their brine.
5. Lift the mushrooms out of the water and strain the soaking water through a coffee filter into a bowl, so the grit from the mushrooms stays behind. Roughly chop the mushrooms and cook them in the pot together with the pine nuts for 2 minutes, until the nuts are glossy with oil and smell toasted.
   Chef's tip Pine nuts are very oily and go from golden to burnt in under half a minute. Stir constantly and move them on the moment the smell turns nutty — burnt nuts spread their bitterness through the whole pot.
6. Toss the squid pieces into the pot and cook them for 2 minutes, stirring, until they've contracted and taken on a matte, white surface.
   Chef's tip The squid turns tough and rubbery right about now, and that's exactly as it should be — it only lets go again after long, wet heat. Don't be tempted to cut the later simmer short.
7. Pour in the white wine and let it boil down for 3-5 minutes, until the sharp wine smell is gone and the bottom of the pot is almost dry.
8. Add the crushed tomatoes, the bay leaf, the fish stock and the strained soaking water, and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and let it simmer gently for 35-45 minutes, until the squid is so tender it can be parted with a spoon. ⏱ 35 min–45 min · passive
9. Lay the fish pieces into the simmering sauce in a single layer and scatter the olives and capers over the top. Let it simmer uncovered for 8-10 minutes without stirring — instead, tilt the pot gently so the pieces don't fall apart. The fish is done when the flesh is matte white and comes away from the bone. ⏱ 8 min–10 min
   Chef's tip Squid toughens fast and only relaxes again after long braising, while white fish needs minutes. Adding the fish at the end keeps it just set — matte and flaking — instead of dry and shredded in the sauce.
10. Toast the bread slices in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until they're golden and crisp and crackle when you press on them.
11. Remove the bay leaf and ladle the squid, fish and plenty of sauce into deep plates. Scatter the rest of the finely chopped parsley over the top. Place a slice of toasted bread in each plate and set the rest on the table. The bread gets dipped into the sauce along the way, and the last slice wipes the plate clean at the end.