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Italy · Porgy

Porgy in Crazy Water

Pesce all’Acqua Pazza

The fishermen of the Amalfi Coast used to poach their catch in seawater with a few tomatoes and garlic. Today it’s a whole porgy simmered in a light broth of cherry tomatoes, white wine, olive oil and parsley.

  • Prep 15 min
  • Cook 25 min
  • Serves 2–4
  • Level Easy
Photo: naotakem · CC BY 2.0
Served with: Tomato Bruschetta ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the fish

For the crazy water

Method

Step by step, the way it is done on the island.

  1. Season the fish. Pat the fish dry, salt it inside and out and tuck the parsley sprigs into the belly.
  2. Warm the garlic. In a wide pan with a lid, big enough to hold both fish, warm the olive oil, garlic and pepper flakes over medium heat for 2 minutes until the garlic is pale gold.
  3. Add the tomatoes. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook 3 minutes until they start to soften. Pour in the wine, let it bubble 1 minute, then add the water and capers.
  4. Poach. Lay the fish in the pan and spoon some broth over. Cover and simmer gently 15–18 minutes, basting once or twice, until the eye turns white and the meat lifts easily from the bone.
  5. Serve. Lift the fish onto a deep platter, spoon the broth and tomatoes over, scatter with parsley and serve with bruschetta for mopping up.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Italy

Tomato Bruschetta

Bruschetta al Pomodoro

Grilled bread rubbed with garlic and piled with juicy tomato, basil and good olive oil. Along the Italian coast it starts every seafood supper.

  • Prep 15 min
  • Cook 5 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 4 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
  • 6 basil leaves, torn
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 8 slices Italian country bread, ½ inch (1 cm) thick
  • 2 garlic cloves, halved

How to make it

  1. Mix the topping. Toss the tomatoes with the basil, olive oil and salt. Let stand 10 minutes so the juices come out.
  2. Grill the bread. Grill or broil the bread for 1–2 minutes a side until crisp with some char marks.
  3. Rub with garlic. Rub each hot slice with the cut side of the garlic.
  4. Top and serve. Spoon the tomatoes on top, add a drizzle of olive oil and serve right away so the bread stays crisp.

Photo: Mutari · Public domain

More ways to cook Porgy

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Setúbal, PortugalPortuguese Butterflied Grilled Porgy
Florianópolis, BrazilBrazilian Home-Style Fish Stew
Cabo Rojo, Puerto RicoGriddled Porgy with Green Mojo