Have you ever tried fish pasta? Well, it might be rare in your neighborhood restaurants, but it's
very common in Italian restaurants. Fish pasta like the calabrian fish ragu pasta is equally
popular just like the traditional ones. It is a quick meal that you can cook for your family in busy
weekdays. The name 'calabrian' comes from the seasoning that is inspired by flavors of
Calabria, like chillies, salami paste, and others. These seasonings give a bold flavor to this pasta.
Preparing the fish
It is convenient to buy fish fillets from the supermarket to save yourself from the hassle of
cutting the whole fish. However, making the pasta with freshly cut fish is a different story. If you
are opting for the second option then you first need to clean the fish properly. Take off the scales
and cut the fins. Then remove the head. Make an incision from the belly. They cut the fish in half
to get the fillets. Remove the skin using your knife. Get rid of the bones with the help of
tweezers. Don't throw away the scraps as you need them to make the fish stock.
Ingredients
Calabrian fish
- White fish fillets – 250 gm, skinless and boneless (you can choose cod, snapper, or barramundi fish for this dish)
- Fennel seeds – 1 teaspoon
- Smoked paprika – 1 tablespoon
- Black peppercorn – ¾ teaspoon
- Chilli flakes – ½ teaspoon
- Nutmeg power – ½ teaspoon
- Fine sugar – ½ teaspoon
- Salt – to taste
- Tomato paste – 2 tablespoon
- Extra virgin olive oil – 3 tablespoons
Pasta
- Pasta (spaghetti, fettuccine, or linguine pasta) – 250 gm
- Salt – 1 teaspoon
- Extra virgin olive oil – 1.5 tablespoon
- Garlic cloves – 3
- Tomato puree – ¾ cup
Garnish
- Parsley – 1 tablespoon, finely chopped
- Parmesan cheese – ¼ cup, grated
Pangrattato
- Stale bread (like ciabatta or sourdough with crusts removed and bread chopped into irregular pieces) – 1 cup
- Salt – a pinch
- Extra virgin olive oil 2 teaspoon
Cooking instructions
- Place the pangrattato in the oven. Toss olive oil and salt, then bake at 180°C for 10 minutes or until they become crispy.
- Place a deep pot on medium flame. Toast fennel seeds and black peppercorn for a few minutes without any oil. When you start getting fragrant and the spices become slightly brown, remove them from the pan and transfer to a mortal. Crush and make powder using a pestle while still hot.
- Mix this spice with the Calabrian fish ingredients using a spatula and set them aside.
- Place the fish scrapes, head, and bones in a pan. Add fennel seeds, peppercorns, bay leaf, and water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes. Your fish stock will be prepared.
- In another stove place a frying pan and warm the oil. Add chopped onions and cook for 10 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, and some fish stock. Cook for a few minutes.
- Add the fish fillets and cook thoroughly. Turn the fish.
- Take another pan and pour the rest of the fish stock. Put the pasta now and add more hot water if needed according to the pasta packet instructions. Drain the water and keep it aside.
- When it's done, add parsley and parmesan; the pasta is complete!
Tips
- The following fishes are ideal for this dish: cod, snapper, john or silver dory, varramundi, bream, tilapia, flathead, perch, bass, hake.
- Avoid using fish like swordfish, bonito, tuna, marlin, or kingfish and they tend to dry out quickly when cooked. You must also avoid thin-filleted fish like turbot, sole, or plaice as they will blend completely into the dish. You shouldn't use mackerel or sardines as well because the taste of these fishes won't match your recipe.
- Instead of using ready-made powdered spices, grind whole spices.
- You can store the leftovers for up to 3 days inside the refrigerator.
- You can add vegetables like onion, garlic, parsley, and carrot in a food processor s as needed. Saute the vegetable mixture in oil and put the tomato paste as well. Simmer for some time. Add blended tomatoes, fish sauce, and sugar.
If you enjoy fish dishes then you will love Calabrian fish ragu pasta. It may be a bit difficult to
remember the steps when you cook for the first time. But you will get hold of it soon. It is not a
very common item to serve the guests. So, you can be the one to serve it as a unique dish when
you host any occasion at home.
