This very Mediterranean recipe brings together tomatoes, capers, and olives to create a rich and robust dish these three ingredients enhance the meaty flesh of the cod perfectly. Make sure that the zucchini (courgettes) are only dusted lightly with flour so that they don’t absorb too much oil and ensure that you drain them very well on paper towels after frying to absorb any excess oil. Cod can be substituted with any other similarly textured fish such as haddock or halibut.
Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 30 Minutes
Cooking Time: 45 Minutes
Ingredients
4 zucchini (courgettes), thinly sliced
all-purpose (plain) flour, for dusting
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
scant 1 cup/200ml strained tomatoes (passata)
1 tablespoon capers, drained, rinsed, and chopped
scant 1 cup/100g pitted and chopped green olives
600g cod fillets, coarsely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Lightly dust the zucchini (courgette) slices with flour, shaking off the excess.
Heat half the olive oil in a frying pan or skillet, add the zucchini slices, in batches, and cook until they are golden brown on both sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, then sprinkle with salt and keep warm.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a large pan, add the onion and celery, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
Add the strained tomatoes (passata), capers, and olives and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Increase the heat to high, add the cod, and cook for another few minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add the zucchini slices, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Recipe extracted from The Silver Spoon Classic published by Phaidon
Published by Phaidon, The Silver Spoon Classic is a luxurious collection of 170 iconic recipes from Italy’s incredibly diverse regions. With dishes for all tastes and seasons, it’s a definitive guide to preparing the most important, authentic Italian meals. Enjoy the easy and delicious recipes on the pages ahead, adding a taste of Italy to your table.
