Skate alla cacciatora

The skate, also known as ray, is a fish typical of Roman cuisine, and the recipe “skate alla cacciatora” is a tasty variation of the more well-known chicken cacciatora. Here the fish takes the place of the chicken, and the ingredients lend themselves to a dish full of flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 skate (ray), gutted and cut into pieces
• Flour, as needed for dusting the skate pieces
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1/2 glass of vinegar (preferably white wine vinegar)
• 1 glass of dry white wine
• 400 g of peeled tomatoes or tomato puree
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chili pepper (optional)
• Chopped parsley for garnish

Preparation

1. Start by lightly flouring the pieces of skate.
2. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan large enough and sauté the garlic cloves and rosemary until golden brown.
3. Add the floured skate pieces and brown well on both sides.
4. Deglaze with the vinegar and let it evaporate.
5. Pour in the white wine and let it evaporate as well.
6. Add the peeled tomatoes or tomato puree, salt, pepper, and chili pepper if you wish for a spicy note.
7. Lower the heat, cover, and let cook for about 30 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the skate is tender.
8. Adjust salt and pepper and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley before serving.

Fun Facts

The “cacciatora” style of cooking traditionally involves the use of aromatic herbs and a slow, gentle cooking process, characteristics that are also adopted in this seafood variant. In Rome, skate was traditionally also used in a famous soup with Roman broccoli, known as “arzilla broth”.