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Branzino arrosto - roasted sea bass - is the quintessential Italian whole fish dinner, combining the theatre of a whole fish at the table with a technique so simple it barely deserves the word recipe. Sea bass, known as branzino or spigola in Italy, is among the most prized fish of the Mediterranean: its skin crisps magnificently in a hot oven, its flesh remains moist and delicate within, and its mild, clean flavour needs only the aromatics already in the Italian kitchen - rosemary, garlic, lemon - to become something memorable. The key is a very hot oven and a short cooking time that keeps the flesh just barely cooked through. Served directly from the roasting tin with a pour of the pan juices, this is the fish dinner that requires no accompaniment beyond good bread and a cold glass of white wine.
Prep
10 min
Cook
30 min
Total
40 min
Servings
4 srv
Difficulty
Easy
Calories
260 kcal
For 4 serving(s)
Per serving
Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F). Score the sea bass 3-4 times on each side with a sharp knife.
Season inside and out generously with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with garlic slices, lemon slices, and rosemary sprigs.
Place the fish in a roasting tin. Drizzle generously with olive oil and squeeze the remaining lemon over the top.
Roast for 25-30 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy and the flesh near the backbone is opaque and flakes easily when tested.
Remove from the oven and rest for 3-5 minutes.
Serve whole at the table. To fillet, run a knife along the backbone and lift the top fillet away, then remove the backbone and lift the bottom fillet. Pour over the roasting juices.
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