Pesce all’Acqua Pazza (Fish in Crazy Water)
- Total Time
- 35 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
Advertisement
Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 2garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ½teaspoon fennel seeds
- Pinch of red-pepper flakes, plus more as needed
- 1½pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled if desired, coarsely chopped
- Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
- 4(6-ounce) fillets firm or medium-firm white fish, such as sea bass or sea bream (skin on or off)
- Grilled or crusty bread, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
359 calories; 18 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 35 grams protein; 861 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
In a large skillet with high sides, combine the olive oil, garlic, fennel seeds and red-pepper flakes. Set over medium-low and cook, swirling occasionally, until sizzling and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Step 2
Add 2½ cups water, the tomatoes and 2 teaspoons salt to the skillet. Bring to a boil over high, then cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until the tomatoes are softened and the water is bright red and tastes like tomato, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Step 3
Pat the fish dry and season with salt. Lay the fish into the tomato water, cover and cook until the fish is opaque and flakes easily, 4 to 8 minutes.
- Step 4
Taste the water and adjust seasonings with salt and red-pepper flakes. If the liquid has reduced so much that it resembles sauce, add a little water until it looks like tomatoes suspended in red-tinted water. Serve the fish and tomato water in shallow bowls, with a drizzle of olive oil and bread for dunking.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
Michael Barshis
The key to this which is not mentioned in the recipe is a very gentle poach on the fish. Make sure the tomato water is not boiling when you add the fish and holds a very gentle simmer around 180 degrees, which is a low to medium setting on your burner, so the fish does not dry out and become chewy. I teach culinary students how to properly poach fish and I have seen many fillets ruined by too high of heat. That being said, I'm going to try this soon, sounds delicious.
crazy easy fish
I love this recipe from M. Hazan! I add sliced fennel in addition to the seeds. I also sub 1 c white wine for 1 c water. Allowing the liquid to evaporate a bit more after poaching the fish let’s the sauce thicken some. Simple yet tasty.
Helen
Garlic is a good add, but I think some spice to replace the fennel would be good - say basil or oregano or Italian seasoning or perhaps some sweet red pepper in with the tomatoes.
Madison Cook
Great recipe and technique. I have made a version of this for years, adding a few Calamata olives or capers (not both—too much salt). Will take the crusty bread side suggestion next time!
Robin
I don’t like fennel. Any suggestions for another spice? I was thinking garlic.
Carolyn
I would think any favorite fresh herbs would work perfectly minced/chopped-dill, chives, marjarem, basil at the end, etc could be subbed for the fennel.
Nia
Anybody tried adding Pernod instead of wine? I wondered if it would complement the fennel.
Pescator
And what to do with the leftover poaching liquid? A base for a zuppa di pesce?
suzanne
This is so similar to Alison Roman's poached fish recipe - one that we have used over-and-over again because it's so amazing. I'd recommend first trying her recipe -- so simple but so rich. Hers has the crispy shallot and chile oil element (and cilantro and something else I'm forgetting) that this one appears to lack.
baked barley risotto
Add fresh fennel, kalamatas
Karen L Davis
Da Napoli? I love it! Great way to use tomatoes in season. Also a great way to cook swordfish. Didn't peel tomatoes. Upped the garlic amount a bit. Fennel was almost indecernible. Used 1/2 wine, 1/2 water. Served the fish in tomato water, as shown, but since I'm cooking for only 2, there was some left in the pan. Popped it into the freezer. Too wonderfully tomato-y to toss. I'll figure out how to use it another time. Grazie, Marcella!
KarenK
Yes to another reviewer’s saffron suggestion. I’ve done a very similar made up recipe with saffron & cod, a few diced, broken down tomatoes, lightly sautéed onions, garlic & a bit of chicken broth. But sans saffron addition, cannellini beans are good in the leftover sauce the second day. Fennel fronds are the most flavorful if I add right before serving.
Johonna Cadwgan
Followed a couple of the commenter's suggestions: half water/half white wine and adding 1 fennel bulb thinly sliced. Because I really love saffron, I also bloomed a heathy pinch of saffron into the wine/water. Decided to parboil my sleeve of Kumato tomatoes for 30 seconds to easily peel them; so worth it. Wow!
Johonna Cadwgan
Fine without; barely put any in mine because my mom can't take anything too spicy. Good pinch of saffron will more than make up for not using chili flakes--trust me!
Martin
I make this dish frequently, a little less simply. I use a dry white wine instead of water with a bit of reduction. I also start with saffron and thyme in place of the fennel. Lots of wonderful ways to tweak this recipe.
Joe Beets
Fennel is god's gift to fish. A different taste cooked than raw, it is the foundation for a lot of French fish dishes. If hesitant, try adding just the fronds, chopped 10 minutes before the finish.
Rebecca Stainback
This is one of the best things I've ever made, and I cook almost every night. We loved it so much, I immediately texted my girlfriends to come over this week so I can serve it to them. We did include the sugar, but I may not next time because the Mutti canned tomatoes are so delicious. HUGE thank you to the person that recommended using those instead of fresh given the season - I'll never be without them in my pantry again.
Carly Nelson Marcoe
Made this tonight and can't wait to make it again and again! The fish sauce adds the perfect velvety flavor boost to the broth. I plated with some lemon wedges, shaved fennel, leeks, chives, dill and parsley. Such a comforting yet light dish.
why pat fish dry?
The recipe says to pay the filets dry before adding to be poached? What is the point of drying them if they’re about to be added to a liquid?
Tracy Breyfogle
Made according to the recipe and served over spaghetti. An ideal end of summer meal - it is too hot to cook anything above a gentle poach and it was a great way to power through a bumper crop of cherry tomatoes. My husband doesn’t love fish, but even he agreed this was just about perfect. I think next time we’ll opt for angel hair pasta, it would probably soak up the broth a little better.
DVS
Quiet, elegant, fresh. Great recipe.
Marie
Followed the recipe just about exactly but added baby spinach and more water before adding the fish. I also used more crushed red pepper and we just about drank the tomato water from our bowls when we finished sopping up with bread!! delicious! (next time i will also add a little more fennel because when i got a taste i wanted more!!)
Mark
Consider a thick slab of cod. Spoon sauce over fish a few times. Anchovy at beginning and capers toward end add additional snap to this delicious entree.
Jamie
it feels like a yummy alt take on this would be to use a Rasam inspired broth! (the south asian "tomato water" soup.
Martin
I make this dish frequently, a little less simply. I use a dry white wine instead of water with a bit of reduction. I also start with saffron and thyme in place of the fennel. Lots of wonderful ways to tweak this recipe.
peterportez
So why pat the fish dry if you then lay it in the tomato water? Fussy, fussy, fussy.
baked barley risotto
Add fresh fennel, kalamatas
Sean Harding
Excellent recipe! I made sure the sea bass cooked in the sauce at about 180ish degrees as another writer noted. I added white wine, spinach, and olives.
Erin
Surprisingly flavorful for a recipe with so few ingredients! I'll be making this again soon!
Susan
I like the simplicity of this recipe, perfect when you cook for one. I’ve changed it up by adding white wine, changing out herbs for fennel, but tomatoes, fennel, and a nice fresh piece of whitefish checks all the blocks for me.
Private notes are only visible to you.
Advertisement
