Acqua Pazza is simple yet visually stunning, which makes it perfect for home parties and casual gatherings.
While it’s commonly enjoyed with bread in Italy, I personally love to serve it with steamed white rice. The tender white fish pairs so well with rice—it really brings out the flavors!
The name might sound fancy or complicated, but it’s actually a very simple and healthy dish. All you need to do is lightly sear the fish in olive oil, then simmer it in white wine.
Using a whole fish makes the dish even more impressive, but it can be a bit tricky to eat because of the bones.
Ingredients
| Fresh cod fillet (If it’s labeled as “lightly salted” or “salted,” skip the salt later on.) | 4 pieces |
| Clams (pre-purged) | 170g / 6oz |
| Cherry tomatoes | about 14 |
| Garlic | 1 clove |
| Italian parsley (or regular parsley) | 4 sprigs |
| White wine | 4 tbsp |
| Salt | A pinch per piece of fish |
| White pepper | A pinch per piece of fish |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp |
How to Make
1⃣ Slice the garlic thinly. If there’s a sprout in the center, remove it. (Wearing kitchen gloves helps prevent your hands from smelling.) Remove the stems from the cherry tomatoes and chop the parsley into 1 cm pieces.
2⃣ In a frying pan, gently cook the sliced garlic in olive oil over low heat for about 5 minutes until golden brown. (Watch carefully—it can burn quickly!)
3⃣ Once it turns golden, turn off the heat and remove the garlic from the pan. Place it on a paper towel to crisp up. Keep the garlic-infused oil in the pan for later. (The garlic will be used as a topping at the end.)
4⃣ If the cod fillets have any bones, remove them. Lightly pat the surface dry with a paper towel, then season with salt and white pepper. (If using pre-salted cod, skip the extra salt.)
5⃣ Using the same pan, place the cod fillets and add 4 tablespoons of white wine. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
6⃣ Add the clams and tomatoes. Cover with a lid and simmer for another 5 minutes or so.
7⃣ Once the clams have opened, top the dish with chopped parsley and the crispy garlic chips.
You can use any kind of white fish for this dish—sea bream, sea bass, rockfish, cod—whatever you prefer or can find easily.
Regular parsley works just fine if you don’t have Italian parsley.
If you’re using pre-salted white fish, be careful not to make the dish too salty. In that case, try adding about 5 tablespoons of water along with the white wine to balance out the flavor.
I personally love garlic chips, so I added them on top. They give the dish a wonderful, rich garlic aroma that really enhances the flavor!
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Tag me if you make it—I’d love to see your creations! 😆✨
