TT Thomas TownsendChef · Melbourne

Rockling with Acqua Pazza and Herb Crumb

Flaky rockling baked under a vivid green herb crumb, served in acqua pazza, a ‘crazy water’ broth of tomato, fennel, capsicum and white wine.

By , head chef · Updated

Prep
30 min
Cook
45 min
Total
1 hr 15 min
Serves
4
Level
Medium
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Rockling fillet with a green herb crumb crust sitting in a tomato, fennel and capsicum acqua pazza broth in a blue bowl

Acqua pazza, ‘crazy water’, is the Neapolitan way of poaching fish in a quick tomato broth. Our version cooks the vegetables down until thick and sweet, so it’s somewhere between a broth and a stew.

Rockling is a Victorian favourite: mild, flaky and almost impossible to overcook. Blue-eye, snapper or barramundi all work.

Ingredients

Serves 4

Acqua pazza

Herb crumb

Fish

Method

Acqua pazza

  1. Sauté the onion in the oil until translucent, then add the fennel and capsicum and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic and rosemary for 1 minute. Deglaze with the wine and reduce by half.
  3. Add the tomatoes and stock, bring to the boil, then simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thick. Season.

Herb crumb

  1. Toss the bread with the butter and toast at 160°C for about 20 minutes until dry and golden. Cool.
  2. Blend the herbs, Dijon and oil to a paste.
  3. Blitz the toasted bread to fine crumbs, then rub in the herb paste and lemon zest with your fingers. Season.

Fish

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Place the fish on a lined tray, brush with oil and season.
  2. Press a 5 mm layer of herb crumb onto the top of each fillet.
  3. Bake for 8–10 minutes until the fish is just opaque and flakes apart.
  4. Ladle the hot acqua pazza into warm bowls, sit the fish on top and finish with parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

Chef’s notes

  • Make a big batch of herb crumb and freeze it. It goes straight from freezer to fish.
  • Test the fish with a skewer: if it slides in with no resistance, it’s done.

Questions about this recipe

What is acqua pazza?

Acqua pazza (‘crazy water’) is a southern Italian method of poaching fish in a light broth of tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, herbs and wine.

What fish can I use instead of rockling?

Any firm white fish: blue-eye trevalla, snapper, barramundi, hake or ling.

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