I made this recipe on a day when I was craving something with fish, but I didn't want to spend hours in the kitchen. I had fresh sea bream, some vegetables, and a good can of tomatoes. I tried the classic version of 'acqua pazza', where the fish is cooked quickly with a little liquid and vegetables in the oven. It's not complicated, and it doesn't need supervision. I left everything in the oven and had time to do something else in the meantime.
Quick Info
Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes (including boiled potatoes)
Servings: 3-4 people
Difficulty: easy
Ingredients
2 large fish (sea bream, mullet, or perch, approx. 700-800 g each)
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
1 yellow onion, sliced thinly
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced or crushed
1 can (400 g) whole peeled tomatoes, with juice
3-4 boiled potatoes, peeled and diced
2 bay leaves
1 cup fresh basil leaves (or a generous handful)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
salt
pepper
Preparation Method
1. Clean the fish by removing scales and gutting them. Trim any fins and wash them well, especially inside. Pat them dry with paper towels. Salt and pepper each fish on both sides and inside the abdomen.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C, top and bottom heat or fan.
3. Boil the potatoes (with skin) in salted water until a fork easily goes through them. Let them cool slightly, peel, and dice.
4. Arrange the fish in a large baking dish, leaving space between them. Add the olives, sliced onion, garlic, and boiled potatoes to the dish.
5. Tear the whole tomatoes by hand directly into the dish and pour in all the juice from the can. Add the bay leaves and some of the basil (reserve the rest for later).
6. Pour the white wine over the entire mixture. Add enough water so that the liquid reaches halfway up the fish and vegetables. They should not float, just be half submerged.
7. Drizzle everything with olive oil. Taste the liquid and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
8. Place the dish in the oven on the middle rack. Cook for 40-50 minutes, until the fish flesh easily separates from the bone and the vegetables are tender. Occasionally, spoon some liquid from the dish over the fish.
9. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the remaining fresh basil, and serve immediately, straight from the dish.
Why I make this recipe often
It's a quick way to cook fish for several people without standing at the stove or making a mess in the kitchen. The liquid in the dish turns into a tasty sauce, the fish stays juicy, and the vegetables absorb the flavors. Plus, you can adapt the recipe based on what you have in the fridge.
Tips and Variations
Tips
The fish should be fresh or freshly thawed; otherwise, the result won't be the same.
Quality canned tomatoes make a difference in the final taste.
Choose a baking dish that is large enough so the ingredients aren't crowded.
If using smaller fish, reduce the cooking time by 10-15 minutes.
Substitutions
You can use dorado, trout, or carp if you don't have mullet, perch, or sea bream.
Fresh tomatoes (in summer) can replace canned tomatoes; just peel and dice them.
Green olives can be used instead of Kalamata.
White wine can be replaced with vegetable broth if you want a non-alcoholic version.
Variations
Add sliced bell peppers for extra color and sweetness.
You can replace basil with fresh parsley if you can't find any.
If you want a spicy version, add a whole chili pepper to the dish.
Serving Ideas
It's best served warm, with all the liquid, directly on the plate. You can add a slice of toasted bread for the sauce from the dish.
Leftover fish can be used the next day in a salad with grilled vegetables or even in a sandwich.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the fish need to be covered in the oven?
No, there's no need to cover it. The liquid, steam, and fat keep the meat tender. If the fish is very large, you can cover it with foil for the first 20 minutes.
Can I use fish fillets instead of whole fish?
Yes, but the cooking time decreases to 20-25 minutes. Fillets cook much faster and can be more sensitive to drying out.
What white wine should I use for the sauce?
Any dry white wine without strong flavors will work. There's no point in using an expensive wine.
Can I freeze the dish?
I do not recommend it. Baked fish with sauce becomes very mushy after thawing.
Can I skip the potatoes?
Yes, the potatoes are not essential, but they add volume and help absorb the sauce. You can exclude them or replace them with slices of zucchini.
Nutritional Values
For one serving (calculated with lean fish, potatoes, and olives, without bread):
Calories: ~350-400 kcal
Protein: 30-35 g
Fat: 16-18 g (depending on oil and olives)
Carbohydrates: 15-18 g (mostly from potatoes)
It's a low-carb recipe if you leave out the potatoes.
Storage and Reheating
The dish keeps well in the fridge, covered, for 1-2 days. Reheat on low heat in a pan with a little sauce or in the oven, covered, at 150°C for 10-15 minutes. I do not recommend reheating in the microwave – the fish dries out too quickly.
Quick Info
Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes (including boiled potatoes)
Servings: 3-4 people
Difficulty: easy
Ingredients
2 large fish (sea bream, mullet, or perch, approx. 700-800 g each)
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
1 yellow onion, sliced thinly
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced or crushed
1 can (400 g) whole peeled tomatoes, with juice
3-4 boiled potatoes, peeled and diced
2 bay leaves
1 cup fresh basil leaves (or a generous handful)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
salt
pepper
Preparation Method
1. Clean the fish by removing scales and gutting them. Trim any fins and wash them well, especially inside. Pat them dry with paper towels. Salt and pepper each fish on both sides and inside the abdomen.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C, top and bottom heat or fan.
3. Boil the potatoes (with skin) in salted water until a fork easily goes through them. Let them cool slightly, peel, and dice.
4. Arrange the fish in a large baking dish, leaving space between them. Add the olives, sliced onion, garlic, and boiled potatoes to the dish.
5. Tear the whole tomatoes by hand directly into the dish and pour in all the juice from the can. Add the bay leaves and some of the basil (reserve the rest for later).
6. Pour the white wine over the entire mixture. Add enough water so that the liquid reaches halfway up the fish and vegetables. They should not float, just be half submerged.
7. Drizzle everything with olive oil. Taste the liquid and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
8. Place the dish in the oven on the middle rack. Cook for 40-50 minutes, until the fish flesh easily separates from the bone and the vegetables are tender. Occasionally, spoon some liquid from the dish over the fish.
9. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the remaining fresh basil, and serve immediately, straight from the dish.
Why I make this recipe often
It's a quick way to cook fish for several people without standing at the stove or making a mess in the kitchen. The liquid in the dish turns into a tasty sauce, the fish stays juicy, and the vegetables absorb the flavors. Plus, you can adapt the recipe based on what you have in the fridge.
Tips and Variations
Tips
The fish should be fresh or freshly thawed; otherwise, the result won't be the same.
Quality canned tomatoes make a difference in the final taste.
Choose a baking dish that is large enough so the ingredients aren't crowded.
If using smaller fish, reduce the cooking time by 10-15 minutes.
Substitutions
You can use dorado, trout, or carp if you don't have mullet, perch, or sea bream.
Fresh tomatoes (in summer) can replace canned tomatoes; just peel and dice them.
Green olives can be used instead of Kalamata.
White wine can be replaced with vegetable broth if you want a non-alcoholic version.
Variations
Add sliced bell peppers for extra color and sweetness.
You can replace basil with fresh parsley if you can't find any.
If you want a spicy version, add a whole chili pepper to the dish.
Serving Ideas
It's best served warm, with all the liquid, directly on the plate. You can add a slice of toasted bread for the sauce from the dish.
Leftover fish can be used the next day in a salad with grilled vegetables or even in a sandwich.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the fish need to be covered in the oven?
No, there's no need to cover it. The liquid, steam, and fat keep the meat tender. If the fish is very large, you can cover it with foil for the first 20 minutes.
Can I use fish fillets instead of whole fish?
Yes, but the cooking time decreases to 20-25 minutes. Fillets cook much faster and can be more sensitive to drying out.
What white wine should I use for the sauce?
Any dry white wine without strong flavors will work. There's no point in using an expensive wine.
Can I freeze the dish?
I do not recommend it. Baked fish with sauce becomes very mushy after thawing.
Can I skip the potatoes?
Yes, the potatoes are not essential, but they add volume and help absorb the sauce. You can exclude them or replace them with slices of zucchini.
Nutritional Values
For one serving (calculated with lean fish, potatoes, and olives, without bread):
Calories: ~350-400 kcal
Protein: 30-35 g
Fat: 16-18 g (depending on oil and olives)
Carbohydrates: 15-18 g (mostly from potatoes)
It's a low-carb recipe if you leave out the potatoes.
Storage and Reheating
The dish keeps well in the fridge, covered, for 1-2 days. Reheat on low heat in a pan with a little sauce or in the oven, covered, at 150°C for 10-15 minutes. I do not recommend reheating in the microwave – the fish dries out too quickly.