Branzino di Lina in Cartoccio
Many of my favorite memories of visiting Sicily over the years revolve around food. The way a meal could stretch for hours. The way my aunt would disappear into the kitchen and come back with something extraordinary made from almost nothing.
My late Aunt Lina lived in Motta Santa Anastasia, a small town in the province of Catania, in the shadow of Mount Etna. She lived there her whole life, and she cooked the way Sicilian women of her generation cook, from what is available, from what is fresh, from what arrived that morning.
When I was young, a fish monger would come through the neighborhood with his cart. If he had nice branzino, Aunt Lina would make this dish. She would wrap the fish in foil with green onions, bay leaves, a handful of parsley, and a generous pour of olive oil, and into the oven it went. Simple. Clean. Perfectly Sicilian.
I have been making it ever since.
Branzino di Lina in Cartoccio
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
Ingredients
- 2 branzino fillets
- 4 littleneck clams (optional)
- 1 bunch green onions
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- 4 bay leaves
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Rinse the branzino fillets and pat dry with paper towels. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
- Rinse the green onions under cold water and pat dry. Cut off the root ends and cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Tear off 2 pieces of aluminum foil, each large enough to hold a branzino fillet comfortably. Brush 1 tablespoon of olive oil on each piece of foil where you will place the fish. Lay one bay leaf on the foil and scatter some of the green onion pieces over it.
- Place one fillet over the green onions and bay leaf. Top with another bay leaf and the remaining green onion pieces and chopped parsley.
- If using clams, place 2 on each side of the fish. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over each fillet.
- Fold up the foil around each fillet, forming a sealed pouch with a little room inside for the fish to steam.
- Place the pouches on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes for branzino, or 20 minutes if using a thicker fish.
- Open the pouches carefully. Using a long fish spatula, transfer the fish to serving plates. Place one clam on each side of the fish, pour the remaining juices from the pouch over the top, and serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
