I have a new found appreciation for cooking meats in sauces as the sauce helps keep the meat nice and moist and it also infuses the meat with its flavours as it cooks. The meats juices also drip directly into the sauce further enhancing the sauces flavour. It’s a win win scenario that results in tons of flavour!
I while ago I came across this recipe for fish a la spetsiota or fish done in the style of Spetses, on kalofagas.ca which caught my attention because the fish is baked in a tomato sauce. The tomato sauce sounded nice and simple and I knew that after cooking with the fish they would both be wonderfully tasty! Topping the fish with bread crumbs also sounded good, though I could not help myself and I added some cheese in the form of grated parmigiano reggiano. I used some stale whole grained bread that I toasted and processed in a food processor for the bread crumbs for some extra texture.
While cleaning out my freezer recently I came across some basil pesto. I had made a bunch of the pesto in the summer when the basil was plentiful and I had frozen the extras to enjoy during the winter. I thought that serving the fish covered in the tasty tomato sauce on a bed of basil pesto rice would be nice and I decided to finish the meal off with some steamed spinach.
The fish a la spetsiota turned out really well! The sole fillets were nice and moist and so full of flavour! The bread crumb and parmigiano reggiano really finished the fish in tomato sauce off nicely. The spinach and basil pesto rice soaked up any excess sauce meaning that there was never a dull moment in the meal. I will definitely be making this again!
Fish a la Spetsiota
ingredients
- 4 fish fillets (rinsed and pat dry, I used sole fillets)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 cup canned plum tomatoes and their juice
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup parsley
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano (grated)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
directions
- Season the fish with salt and pepper and let them stand for 20-30 minutes.
- Mix the tomatoes, garlic, parsley, oregano and wine in a food processor and let stand for 20-30 minutes.
- Grease the bottom of a baking dish with the oil.
- Spread half of the tomato sauce over the bottom of the baking pan.
- Place the fish in the baking pan and cover with the remaining tomato sauce.
- Sprinkle the bread crumbs and parmigiano reggiano over the top.
- Bake in a preheated 375F/190C oven the sauce thickens and the top is golden brown.
Kevin your Fish a la Spetsiota is UNBELIEVABLE!! The flavors really are fresh and fantastic. I am adding the wine to mine!! Thanks for sharing……
What a beautiful and delicious creation!
That looks really good! Very creative recipe. Your blog is great. I will be visiting again for some more recipes ideas.
What a lovely recipe! Sounds delicious, I love the idea of the spinach and tomato sauce.
Great looking fish! Looks delicious! You always come up with such nice recipes!
Kevin, isn’t hard to believe that such an easy, straight-forward recipe could be so tasty?
Your Spetsiota looks fab, I can taste it now and I thank you again for trying another one of my dishes.
You have to comeover sometime…cheers!
That is one healthy plate of food!!! Great photo too!!!
WOW, love this recipe…it seems easy and delicious. Thanks!
That looks sooo delicious! Couldn’t have been better if the fish were fried, heh 🙂
I am trying to cook more fish for my husband, this is perfect! Thanks
An awesome way of preparing fish! Yummy!
Cheers,
Rosa
Haven’t poked my head into your world lately …
Hi Kevin! 🙂
OOOOH doesn’t that look good. I cook sole occasionally for my husband. I know that he will love this dish. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Oooh now that looks nice Kevin and easy too. Love the sauce. Thanks for sharing.
as you look the picture, you can say that its delicious,i like your own creation of food…Dont stop discovering new thing its gonna big help for us.
Thanks for bringing this dish to our attention Kevin. It sounds amazing.
That does sound tasty!
The sauce and fish sound fantastic, and combined with the pesto and spinach must have been a great meal!
I’ve scrolled through just the first page of your blog and my mouth is watering!
I’ll definitely be following your blog from now on!
This fush dish looks delicious!
I saw this on Peter’s blog, and it looked good. I think your addition of parmesan is wonderful! I’ve made fish with tomato before, and while it seems an unlikely combination, it’s first rate!
Looks great. I like the ideao tomato sauce and the spinach…great idea!
Thanks for sharing this great recipe! It just sounds so satisfying! I’m a big believer in baking things in tomato sauce, especially delicious home-made one. Eggs, fish, chicken, veggies, meat, you name it, I bake it in TS!
This is a good one to keep in the list. It looks quick and easy.
Another great fish recipe. Have a great week-end.
This looks like a wonderfully moist and flavourful way to prepare fish!
What a perfect meal–so healthy, such great combos, and very pretty to boot!
I’m drooling at this fish – it looks sooooo good. Fish is so healthy I cannot get enough!!!
I wish I was having that for dinner tonight!
Ah I have some pesto myself… 🙂 nice one 🙂
Mmm this looks great! It would have been the perfect Lent recipe to make for my parents. But I think it will work just as well as the perfect non-Lent recipe as well.
What a fabulous combination of flavors, it looks and sounds scrumptious.
Such a winning combination of flavors — I’m sure this would be good with any white fish, and perhaps some others (salmon, maybe). Delicious.
I agree – fish cooked in sauce really is the way to meld the flavours properly, and keep the flesh moist. This looks heavenly and reminds me of the red pesto-crusted fish that I make 🙂
This looks delicious! Pretty healthy too. Thanks for sharing Kevin!
this looks so easy and delicious!
This looks absolutely amazing – I will definitely be trying this soon!
I love the way you give each traditional recipe a little tweak!
I'm making this tomorrow. I think I'll try to shoot it, but I don't think it will be as pretty as your picture!