Branzino al Forno
Whole fish, one pan, no fear
Whole branzino roasted with lemon, cherry tomatoes, olives and herbs — a clean, coastal main that cooks in under half an hour.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Serves
- 2 servings
Ingredients
- 2 whole branzino (about 1 lb each), scaled and gutted
- 1 lemon, sliced, plus another for serving
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup olives
- 4 thyme sprigs and a few parsley stems
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Flaky salt and pepper
Instructions
- 01
Heat the oven. Preheat to 425°F with a sheet pan inside so the fish skin hits hot metal.
- 02
Season inside and out. Pat the fish very dry, score the skin twice on each side, salt generously and stuff the cavities with lemon slices and herbs.
- 03
Roast. Lay the fish on the hot pan with the tomatoes and olives around them, drizzle with oil and roast 20–25 minutes, until the flesh at the spine flakes clean.
- 04
Fillet at the table. Run a knife along the spine, lift the top fillet, then pull the frame away in one piece and lift the second fillet.
- 05
Dress. Finish with lemon juice, flaky salt and the pan juices from the tomatoes.
Larry’s rule: Dry skin crisps, wet skin steams. Paper towel is the whole recipe.