Description
Tender fish gently poached in a bright, garlicky tomato sauce with olives, capers, and a hint of chili. This classic southern Italian puttanesca-style dish is briny, savory, and ready in about 30 minutes, perfect with crusty bread to soak up every drop.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 white fish fillets, such as cod, halibut, about 6 ounces each
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6 anchovy fillets in oil (less if you would prefer less briny)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 3 tablespoons capers, rinsed well if salt-packed
- 1 cup Gaeta or black olives, pitted and lightly crushed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Handful small basil leaves, torn
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Pat the fish fillets dry and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside while you prepare the sauce.
- In a large skillet with a lid, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper, and anchovies. Stir until the garlic has softened and the anchovies dissolve, about 2 minutes.
- Add the white wine and let it reduce briefly, then add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in the capers and olives. Simmer for a few more minutes. You want the sauce to be loose, not too thick. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, if needed.
- Nestle the fillets into the sauce. Spoon a bit of sauce over the fish. Cover partially, and cook gently until the fish is opaque and just cooked through, 4 to 7 minutes depending on thickness. Do not flip.
- Turn off the heat. Sprinkle with parsley and basil. Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil and serve!
Notes
- This is a very quick sauce. The garlic warms in olive oil, the anchovies dissolve, capers and olives follow, and the tomatoes simmer only briefly so they stay bright and sharp. It should taste vivid and briny, made in about the time it takes to cook pasta.
- Although often paired with fish, as in this version, the sauce is very versatile. Toss it with spaghetti for the classic preparation, spoon it over quickly sautéed chicken cutlets or thighs, or use it anywhere you want a bright, savory contrast. The taste should always remain the same, vivid and briny, as if it were made in the time it takes to bring a pot of water to the boil.
- Nestle the fish in the pan and simmer just until it begins to flake. You want the briny sea to remain the primary flavor, with the tomato adding brightness. And resist the instinct to move the fish around. Spoon the sauce over the top and let the gentle heat do the work.
- Because the tomatoes cook only briefly, use good quality canned ones, San Marzano if possible. Taste them first. If they taste acidic, add an extra splash or two of wine to the sauce, which will help to round out the edges naturally.
- Category: Dinner