The Italian Chef
home recipes features cookbooks travel kitchen tools newsletter restaurants about email

Pesce all'Acqua Pazza

I first had this dish at a small restaurant in Positano on the Amalfi Coast called O'Capurale and was very impressed with how flavorful yet light it was. Pesce all'Acqua Pazza means Fish in Crazy Water. Many American interpretations of this dish seem to take this translation extremely literal. They really accentuate the "crazy", using it as an excuse to clean out the refrigerator and add all kinds of ingredients to flavor the water. I am not sure of the origins of the name, but I do know that all it needs is a simple flavoring of garlic, herbs, tomato, salt and a pinch of hot pepper as presented here.

Serves 4

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4-1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves chopped
12 grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 pounds sea bass or red snapper fillets
1. In an ovenproof pan at least two inches deep and large enough to hold the fish in one layer, add the olive oil, water, parsley, garlic, tomatoes, red pepper and salt.
2. Turn the heat to medium and allow the crazy water to simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
3. Place the fish in the pan skin side down, transfer pan to oven and cook until fish is done, approximately 20 minutes.
4. Transfer the fish to warm plates, pour a little of the crazy water over and around the fish, making sure to include some tomatoes, and serve immediately.




Italian Family Dining
Here is a cookbook that truly understands how Italians eat. "Italian meals are structured in a way that keeps family and friends at the table," the introduction tells us.

Fresh Homemade Pasta
Making fresh pasta at home might seem like a daunting task, and while it is time consuming and with definite effort involved, it is not all that difficult and you will be handsomely rewarded for the extra work.

Food and Wine Vacations in Italy
Order free brochures for Food and Wine Tour Packages and Cooking Schools in Italy.

Cookbook Recipes
A collection of recipes from some of The Italian Chef's favorite cookbooks. Browse recipes from Jamie Oliver, Marcella Hazan, Biba Caggiano, and many other great Italian cookbook authors.