Baked Sea Bream with Vegetables
A whole sea bream baked over thin, overlapping zucchini, eggplant, and tomato with Vernaccia, parsley, and extra-virgin olive oil.
Prebaking the thin vegetables gives them time to soften before the fish joins the dish, so both components finish together without overcooking the sea bream.
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Cut the zucchini into shorter sections, then use a mandoline to slice it into uniform rounds about 3 mm thick. Slice the eggplant and tomato to the same thickness.
- 2
Line a round baking dish with parchment. Arrange the zucchini, eggplant, and tomato in a slightly overlapping radial pattern, then bake for about 20 minutes.
20 min
- 3
Meanwhile, combine the Vernaccia with 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, a generous tablespoon of chopped parsley, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Mix with a fork and set aside.
- 4
Remove the dish from the oven and lay the whole prepared sea bream on top of the partially cooked vegetables. Pour the wine and parsley dressing evenly over the fish and vegetables.
- 5
Return the dish to the oven and bake at 355°F (180°C) for about 20 minutes more, until the sea bream is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
20 min
- 6
Fillet the baked sea bream and serve it with the vegetables, adding a small drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and more salt and pepper to taste.
Ago's Notes
- Use a whole sea bream that has been scaled, gutted, and prepared for cooking. A fishmonger can do this for you.
- Slice all three vegetables uniformly to about 3 mm with a mandoline and its hand guard. Arrange them in a slightly overlapping radial pattern in a round, parchment-lined baking dish.
- The source's ingredient list gives parsley and olive oil as needed; its instructions specify one generous tablespoon of chopped parsley and 2 tablespoons of oil for the Vernaccia dressing, plus a little oil for serving.
- Bake the vegetables alone for the first 20 minutes. Place the whole fish on top, pour over the dressing, and bake for another 20 minutes at the same temperature.
- The source metadata lists 10 minutes preparation and 40 minutes cooking, matching the two consecutive 20-minute oven stages.
Fillet the sea bream after baking and spoon the wine-scented vegetables and pan juices alongside it.
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