There's a way of cooking that the Sicilians have down better than almost anyone else — the art of doing very little to something very good.
A whole fish. Olive oil. Salt. Lemon. Fire.
That's the recipe. Not as a limitation but as a philosophy — the idea that when the ingredient is right, the job of cooking is to get out of its way. Good Sicilian olive oil poured generously over a fresh fish, sea salt pressed into the skin, lemon tucked inside. Into a hot oven, or better, over coals.
What comes out is something that doesn't need a sauce. Doesn't need anything, really, except a warm plate and people around the table who aren't in a hurry to leave.
This is Sunday lunch the way it's supposed to feel.
Olive oil, salt & lemon. Let the fire do the rest.
Ingredients
- 3–4 tablespoons Tutto Sicilia Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 whole fish, 500–700g (sea bass, sea bream, or snapper work beautifully)
- 1 lemon, half sliced, half for serving
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary
- 3 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
- Flaky sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F, or prepare a grill for direct heat.
- Score the fish on both sides — three diagonal cuts through to the bone. This helps it cook evenly and lets the flavours in. If your fish is skinless, skip this step.
- Season generously inside and out with salt and pepper.
- Stuff the cavity with lemon slices, herbs, and garlic. For a fillet, tuck them underneath and drape the rest on top.
- Lay in a roasting dish and pour the olive oil over generously — don't hold back and spread evenly. For the grill, rub the fish well with olive oil before transferring. The exact amount of olive oil you will use will greatly depend on the size of the fish.
- Roast for 20–25 minutes until the skin is golden and the flesh flakes easily at the thickest point. However, timing depends on the size and type of fish you are roasting, so keep an eye on it.
- Rest for 5 minutes. Serve with the remaining lemon and nothing complicated on the side.
Nonna's Notes
What fish is fresh and available to you? Use that. It doesn't even need to be whole and with the skin on if you can't find that at the market. Go with your instinct, go with what sounds good to you.
The olive oil is doing more work than it looks like. It always is.
