Fish Easy Main Italian

Whole fish in crazy water

Name: Whole fish in crazy water
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: /asian, /italian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 250g cherry tomatoes, halved; 1/4 teaspoon dried chilli flakes, plus extra to serve; 1 x 800g (or 2 x 400g) whole white fish (such as bream or snapper), cleaned, scaled; 2 cups (500ml) light fish stock or water; 2 tablespoons small black olives; 1 tablespoon salted capers, rinsed; 2 tablespoons basil leaves; 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley leaves; 1 lemon, quartered, to serve

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by Jill Dupleix

Food writer

Oct 03, 2015

This take on the traditional Italian recipe, pesce all'acqua pazza, is a wonderful way of cooking a whole fish for two people. It cooks very gently on the bone, flavoured with tomatoes, olives and a little red chilli to make the water 'crazy'.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 teaspoon dried chilli flakes, plus extra to serve
1 x 800g (or 2 x 400g) whole white fish (such as bream or snapper), cleaned, scaled
2 cups (500ml) light fish stock or water
2 tablespoons small black olives
1 tablespoon salted capers, rinsed
2 tablespoons basil leaves
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 lemon, quartered, to serve

Method

1.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a large deep frypan or wok, depending on the size of your fish.
2.

Add garlic, tomatoes and chilli and cook on medium-high heat for 1 minute, tossing to coat in the oil.
3.

Add the fish and cook gently for a further minute, then turn carefully and add stock or water to cover. Simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the flesh parts from the bone at the touch of a knife.
4.

Carefully remove the fish to a warm platter and cover to keep warm. Scoop out the tomatoes with a slotted spoon and set aside. Bring liquid to the boil and boil for 5 minutes.
5.

Return the tomatoes to the pan with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, olives, capers and herbs, and heat through.
6.

Serve the fish topped with the tomato mixture and extra chilli, with lemon wedges to squeeze.