Cod Puttanesca
Inspired by the classic pasta dish, this easy one-pot dish sees cod fillets cooked in a rich tomato sauce with olives, capers and anchovies.
Ingredients
| 2 tbsp | extra virgin olive oil |
| 4 | anchovy fillets, finely chopped |
| 3 tbsp | capers, drained |
| 3 cloves | garlic, finely chopped |
| 1 small bunch (approx. 30g) | of fresh parsley, leaves and firm stalks, finely chopped, plus a few extra leaves to serve |
| ¼–½ tsp | chilli flakes, or to spice preferences |
| 2 x 400g tins | of chopped tomatoes |
| 120g | kalamata olives (or olives of choice) pitted and quartered |
| 4 (approx. 150g each) | cod fillets, taken out of the fridge 30 minutes before needed (see notes) |
| 40g | unsalted butter, divided into 4 pieces |
| salt and black pepper, to taste |
Method
Put the olive oil, anchovies, capers, garlic, parsley stalks and chilli flakes into a large ovenproof frying pan off the heat. set over a medium-low heat and gently stir for a few minutes until the anchovies melt into the oil (be careful the garlic doesn’t burn).
Pour in the chopped tomatoes and swill out the cans with a couple of tablespoons of water each (just eyeball it). Add the olives, most of the parsley leaves and a pinch of black pepper. Bring to a simmer and allow to bubble away for 15 minutes to thicken the sauce.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas 6).
Pat the cod dry with kitchen paper season both sides with a pinch of salt and pepper, then nestle the fillets into the sauce. top with a knob of butter each, then bake in the oven for 10–12 minutes, or until the cod easily flakes and is just about opaque through the centre. timings will vary slightly depending on the thickness of the cod, so i recommend erring on the side of caution and taking it out slightly early if needed. the fish will carry on cooking slightly once out of the oven.
Remove the cod and stir the melted butter into the sauce. Check for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper if needed, then serve with parsley sprinkled on top.
Recipe notes:
Cod: because the cod cooks quickly, you’ll want it close to room temperature before cooking to help take the chill out of the centre. As mentioned in the recipe, err on the side of caution, because you can always place it back in the oven (it’s much more difficult to revive an overcooked piece of cod!).
Serving: there will be plenty of sauce, so consider some crusty bread for mopping leftovers!
