“Puttanesca” was invented in Naples, as an intense tomato, olive, caper and garlic sauce typically mixed into pasta. With the weather in the 90s now, seafood is what I’m craving! So instead of mixing this succulent sauce into pasta, I’m topping it on flaky, fresh cod.
Topped on a fillet of cod I got from my local fish market (this fish was caught less than 24 hours ago…OMG!), I’m roasting sweet tomatoes and mixing them in with Kalamata olives, garlic-infused olive oil, and briny capers. I can almost taste the ocean!
On a bed of Olive Oil Smashed Potato…when I close my eyes I can see beautiful cobblestone Italian streets…
Makes: for 4 people
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
The Ingredients
For puttanesca cod:
4, ½ pound cod fillets, skinned and deboned
1 pound Campari tomatoes, halved (Cherry tomatoes work, too! Just cut the roasting time in half.)
1 jar (~10 ounces) Kalamata olives, drained and halved
½ Vidalia onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
½ tablespoon dried oregano, or thyme
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
For olive oil smashed potatoes:
8 medium Yukon gold potatoes, washed and peeled
~½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
The Steps
For simple puttanesca sauce: preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Roast halved tomatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil, dried thyme or oregano, and a dash of salt on a baking sheet for 2 hours. Remove from oven and set aside. If you’re in a rush, roast tomatoes at 350 degrees for 45 minutes!
In a medium pot, add 3 tablespoons olive oil, onion, capers, olives. Heat over medium/low heat for 2-3 minutes, until onion begins to soften. Add tomatoes, and gently fold into onion-olive mixture.
For cod: preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and roast cod in a lightly olive oil coated 8×8 glass pan for 15-20 minutes, until just opaque.
For olive oil smashed potatoes: while tomatoes are roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes, and reduce heat to a gentle boil. Cover pot, leaving a slight opening to keep pot from boiling over. Boil for 30-40 minutes, until potatoes are soft when a fork is inserted. Drain water, and mash potatoes with about a ½ cup olive oil, salt, and pepper, until potatoes are soft and smooth. Add more olive oil if necessary. Serve immediately.
To plate: make a bed of smashed olive oil potatoes, add cod fillet, and top generously with puttanesca sauce.
The Steps with Pictures
For simple puttanesca sauce: preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Roast halved tomatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil, dried thyme or oregano, and a dash of salt on a baking sheet for 2 hours. Remove from oven and set aside.
In a medium pot, add 3 tablespoons olive oil, onion, capers, olives. Heat over medium/low heat for 2-3 minutes, until onion begins to soften. Add tomatoes, and gently fold into onion-olive mixture.
For cod: preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and roast cod in a lightly olive oil coated 8×8 glass pan for 15-20 minutes, until just opaque.
For olive oil smashed potatoes: while tomatoes are roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes, and reduce heat to a gentle boil. Cover pot, leaving a slight opening to keep pot from boiling over. Boil for 30-40 minutes, until potatoes are soft when a fork is inserted. Drain water, and mash potatoes with about a ½ cup olive oil, salt, and pepper, until potatoes are soft and smooth. Add more olive oil if necessary. Serve immediately.
To plate: make a bed of smashed olive oil potatoes, add cod fillet, and top generously with puttanesca sauce.
