Calabrian Fish Ragu
A vibrant dish featuring succulent pieces of fish in a rich, spiced tomato sauce, paired with linguine pasta and crunchy pangrattato.
Ingredients
Calabrian Spiced Fish Ingredients
- 250 g firm white fish fillets (skinless, boneless, cut into 2 cm cubes) (options: barramundi, snapper, cod)
- ¾ tsp black peppercorns (Note 2 for ground option)
- 1 tsp fennel seeds (Note 2 for ground option)
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika (or ordinary paprika)
- ½ tsp red chili flakes (feel free to reduce/omit)
- ½ tsp nutmeg powder
- ½ tsp caster/superfine sugar
- ¾ tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
Pasta Ingredients
- 250 g linguine pasta (or fettuccine, spaghetti)
- 1 tbsp cooking/kosher salt (for pasta water)
- 1 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- ¾ cup tomato passata (US: tomato puree)
- 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
- Parmesan cheese finely grated (for serving)
Pangrattato Ingredients
- 1 cup stale bread (like sourdough or ciabatta; crusts removed, torn/chopped into irregular 1cm pieces)
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch cooking/kosher salt
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat a large deep skillet or pot over medium heat, without any oil.
- Toast the black peppercorn and fennel for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until fragrant and the fennel is lightly browned. Transfer to a mortar and grind to a powder while still hot.
Coat Fish
- In a medium bowl, mix the toasted spices with the remaining Calabrian spiced fish ingredients. Stir well with a spatula until combined, then set aside.
Cook Pasta
- Boil 3 liters of water with the cooking salt. Cook the pasta according to the packet directions, but stop 1 minute earlier. Before draining, scoop out 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta in a colander and set aside.
Calabrian Fish Ragu
- In the same skillet used for the spices, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the fish and cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Pour in the tomato passata and let it simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add 1 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water and simmer for 2 more minutes.
Toss Pasta
- Add the cooked pasta and 3/4 of the chopped parsley to the skillet. Toss for 1 minute to coat the pasta in the sauce. The fish will flake but should not turn to mush; some larger pieces are nice.
Serve
- Divide the dish among bowls. Top with the remaining parsley, pangrattato, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When reheating, add a splash of water to prevent the pasta from drying out. Adjust the spice level based on your preference. Fresh fish is best, but frozen fish works well too.