Polpette di Pesce - Fish Boulettes

I like to play with different ways of cooking in order to keep the distinctive tastes and textures of the ingredients I use. Here the baked boulettes are eventually combined with the sautéed tomato sauce. The final result is a light dish full of Mediterranean flavours.
Serve with any boiled grains you like, from rice to barley, or with mashed potatoes.


Polpette di Pesce - Fish Boulettes

Tomato and olive sauce
3 large spring onions, chopped, green part included
1 garlic clove, chopped
400 g ripe vine tomatoes, peeled and chopped 

Dried chilli
100 ml dry white wine
200 ml vegetable stock
15 black olives, pitted
Sea salt
Extra virgin oil

Fish boulettes: 
750 g cod fillet
1 large shallot, quartered
20 g fresh flat-leaf parsley
15 g oregano
15 g saffron
1 garlic clove, peeled
 1 tablespoon capers in salt, rinsed
4 anchovies in oil
1 yolk
The zest and the fresh juice of 1 lemon
100 g homemade breadcrumbs
Extra virgin oil

Serves 4 to 5
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes

Tomato and olive sauce

1. In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté the onions with a pinch of salt on a gentle heat for 5 minutes. 
2. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Increase the heat, stir in the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add chilli and salt. 
3. Pour in the wine and let evaporate for 1 minute. Mix in the boiling stock, lower the heat and leave to a simmer for 20 minutes. Incorporate the olives. 

Fish boulettes

1. In a blender, place the shallot, the parsley leaves, stems included, the oregano, the saffron diluted in 1 tablespoon of hot water, the garlic, the capers and the anchovies. Blend into a paste. Add the fish and blend into a smooth mixture. Incorporate the yolk, the lemon zest and juice and blend. 
2. Preheat the oven to 180⁰C. 
3. Line a large baking tray with parchment and grease evenly with oil. 
4. Place the fish mixture in a bowl and the breadcrumbs in a dish next to it. With your hands, mould boulettes the size of a nut, coat with breadcrumbs and arrange on the tray. 
5. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until evenly golden and firm. 
6. Transfer the boulettes into the tomato sauce, stir gently with a wooden spoon to coat them with the sauce, cook on low heat for 5 minutes. 
7. Serve hot.