This recipe produced beautifully succulent fish. I served it with a simple tomato and basil salad and boiled potatoes.
Serves 2
1 kg coarse sea salt (the supermarket stocks bags of coarse sea salt for around $1/500g)
1 egg white
1 baby snapper (you can substitute any other whole fish – as long as it will fit in the oven)
Lemon wedges
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1. Preheat the oven to 475°F.
2. Pour the salt into a large bowl, add the egg white and mix vigorously until the salt is evenly moistened. Spread one-third of the salt mixture over the bottom of a large rectangular or oval baking dish big enough to hold the fish. Place fish on top, then cover it with the rest of the salt mixture, making sure it is completely covered.
3. Place the baking dish in the oven and reduce the heat to 400°F. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish – the rule of thumb is 10 minutes for every inch (3cm) of thickness at the fish’s widest part. Remove from the oven.
4. Crack the crust open at the table with the handle of a knife or a small hammer, and lift it off (the skin will generally come off with the salt). Fillet the fish, and serve with lemon wedges, drizzling the olive oil over the flesh.
American chef Mario Batali does not look like an Italian food guru - yet his cookbook tells a different story. Molto Italiano features 327 simple Italian recipes to be cooked in the home. His recipes are often accompanied by an interesting story, a thoughtful tip, or an evocative description of a cooking technique. The book is divided into seven sections, including a large antipasto section (great for cooking for two) and a well thought out glossary of Italian ingredients.