Courgette, Potato and Seabass Bake.

Teglia di zucchine, patate e branzino al forno.

This is a wonderfully delicate but moreish take on a fish pie, perfect for in between seasons and one of the best ways to get non-fish lovers to eat fish. 

It is also a great fish recipe to start with if you are not very confident with cooking fish.

Courgette, potatoes and sea bass are all very gentle flavours, making this a pleasantly light and soothing meal.

The secret is in the slicing of the potatoes and courgettes in the same shapes and size. You can use a mandolin and do rounds, or a potato peeler to make longer thin strips. 

Tomato paste or grated tomatoes can also be added (or even sundried tomatoes – which significantly covers up any “fishy” taste, even more suited to those non-fish loving picky eaters).

You can use any herbs you fancy here – from rosemary to thyme to fresh mint, basil or marjoram, which is especially delicious with fish but difficult to get hold of, or even dried oregano. 

Breadcrumbs make this delightfully homey, especially adding them inside at the end of each section. For a more “elegant” bake, you can omit them on the inside and add some roughly chopped almonds on the top layer, and some grated lemon on the fish. (This will go well with thyme and rosemary, or just marjoram)

You can use either garlic or onion – or both. If using onion tasty results come from cooking it lightly and slowly until translucent in a pan first. 

As with all bakes this is even better the next day. 

Ingredients:

Serves 6,

Sea bass, 4 fillets

Potatoes, 600g,

Courgettes, 600g

Garlic, 2 cloves

Breadcrumbs

Parsley, a small handful

Thyme, a few springs

Optional:

Onion, 1

Lemon

Almonds, a handful

Rosemary (or oregano, or mint or basil or simply fresh marjoram)

Bay leaf

1.      Preheat the oven to 180 degrees

2.     Take the seabass off the skin with a sharp knife, slicing into thin slices

3.     Place on a plate and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with thyme, parsley and a bay leaf and leave to marinade

4.    If using an onion, slice thinly and cook in a pan with olive oil on very low heat for about 10 minutes until translucent

5.     Peel and slice the potatoes with a mandolin, and thinly slice the courgettes as well to the same thickness

6.     Thinly slice and finely chop some garlic and parsley

7.     For the assembly: drizzle a some olive oil in an oven dish and make a layer of potatoes. Sprinkle with salt. (And rosemary if using)

8.    Now add a layer of onions, and then a layer of the fish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

9.     Now add a layer of courgettes and sprinkle with some parsley, salt, pepper, and drizzle a generous amount of olive oil

10.  Sprinkle with some breadcrumbs and add some chopped garlic, if using.

11.    Repeat until you have run out of ingredients, finishing with a layer of courgettes and a generous sprinkle of breadcrumbs, together with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until the top is crisped up and pie is fully cooked through – it might take longer depending on the portion size, dish and 

12.   If using roughly chopped skinned almonds add them about 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time.