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Fake Fish

17/11/2023

Il pesce finto, also known as “potato loaf,” is a dish named for its shape, which vaguely resembles a fish. Here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients

  • 600 g of potatoes
  • 200 g of drained oil-packed tuna
  • 2 tablespoons of desalted salted capers
  • 1 handful of chopped parsley
  • 2 eggs
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Breadcrumbs (optional)
  • Pitted Taggiasca or black olives (for decoration)
  • Carrots and zucchini (for decoration, optional)

Preparation

  1. Start by boiling the potatoes in salted water until they are soft. Once ready, drain, peel, and pass them through a potato ricer.

  2. Add the previously drained tuna, the chopped capers, and the parsley to the bowl with the mashed potatoes. Mix well.

  3. Now add one egg and a pinch of salt and pepper, then knead until you have a homogenous mixture. If the dough is too soft, you can add some breadcrumbs.

  4. Take the mixture and shape it into a fish on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Use the leftover potatoes to create the “tail” and “fins” of the fish.

  5. Beat the other egg in a small bowl and brush it over the surface of the loaf to give it a light golden color when cooked. At this point, you can decorate the fake fish with Taggiasca olives for eyes and mouth and, if you wish, with strips of carrots and zucchini to simulate scales.

  6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

  7. Serve the fake fish hot or even cold, according to your preferences.

Curiosities

This dish was created during World War II as an economical and creative alternative to real fish, which was often difficult to find or expensive. Its simplicity and the ability to prepare it with readily available ingredients have made it a classic of Italian home cooking.