This is a Campania classic, and the one I make when I want dinner to feel like home. The name comes from fishermen cooking the catch in seawater.
Serve it with good bread, because the broth is the best part.
con amore, Lia 💚
Recipes · Seafood
Fish in Acqua Pazza
"Crazy water": fish gently poached in a quick tomato broth. It's elegant, and it's done in one pan.
AI-generated photo.
- 10 minPrep
- 20 minCook
- 4Servings
Ingredients
- 4 fillets, about 170 g (6 oz) eachSea bass, snapper or other firm white fishSkin on if you can
- 3 tbspExtra-virgin olive oil
- 3 clovesGarlic, sliced
- 300 g (10 oz)Cherry tomatoes, halved
- PinchChili flakes
- 180 ml (¾ cup)Dry white wine
- 240 ml (1 cup)Water
- A handfulParsley, chopped
- To serveCrusty bread
Method
Build the broth 10 min
Cook the oil, garlic and chili gently in a wide, deep skillet until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt and cook until they start to soften. Add the wine and water and simmer for 5 minutes.
Poach the fish 8–10 min
Salt the fish and lower it into the broth, skin side down. Cover and keep at a gentle simmer until the fish is opaque and flakes easily, or reaches 145°F (63°C).
Serve
Lift the fish into shallow bowls and spoon the broth and tomatoes around it. Finish with parsley, a thread of olive oil and bread.
Where it goes wrong
A rolling boil breaks the fish.
- Keep the liquid at a lazy simmer, and move the fillets only once, with a wide spatula.
- Thin fillets finish fast, so start checking early.
Keep cooking
Lia and her family are AI-generated characters. These recipes follow traditional methods and are still being kitchen-tested. If something doesn't work, please tell us at hello@liavellari.com.