Sea Bass Ligurian style

Here’s how to prepare the Ligurian-style Sea Bass, a refined dish that enhances the flavors of the sea with a touch of freshness given by the olives and pine nuts, typical of Ligurian cuisine.

Ingredients

• 1 sea bass of about 1 kg, gutted and scaled
• 2 potatoes
• 100 g of pitted Taggiasca olives
• 50 g of pine nuts
• A bunch of parsley
• 1 organic lemon
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A few leaves of fresh basil (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Wash the potatoes well and cut them into thin slices, then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, forming a bed for the fish.
3. Sprinkle the potatoes with a bit of salt, pepper, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
4. Rinse the sea bass under cold running water, pat it dry with kitchen paper and place it on the bed of potatoes.
5. In a small bowl, mix the Taggiasca olives, pine nuts, and chopped parsley with a bit of extra virgin olive oil.
6. Cut the lemon into thin slices and insert them into the belly of the sea bass along with some of the olive, pine nut, and parsley mixture.
7. Also season the outside of the fish with salt, pepper, the remaining mixture, and a drizzle of oil.
8. Cover the fish with aluminum foil and bake for about 30-40 minutes. In the last 10 minutes, you can uncover the fish to let it brown slightly.
9. Check the doneness by gently inserting a fork into the flesh of the fish, which should be tender and flake easily.

Serve the Ligurian-style Sea Bass hot, garnished with a few fresh basil leaves if desired.

Curiosity

The Ligurian-style Sea Bass is a dish that reflects the culinary tradition of Liguria, an Italian region famous for its cuisine rich in aromatic herbs, olive oil, and fresh ingredients. The distinctive elements of this dish are the Taggiasca olives, small and flavorful, and the pine nuts, which add a crunchy and rich note to the delicate flavor of the sea bass.