La Trattoria

Branzino al Cartoccio

Sea bass fillet, slow braised wrapped in parchment paper Mediterranean-style, served with vegetable stew and a drizzle of chardonnay wine.

In the past, ingredients such as seafood and meat were usually slow-cooked – braised in a clay pot, wrapped in grape leaves or covered with salt for the best taste. This recipe has its inspiration from this traditional way of Italian cooking.

Pomodoro sauce ingredients

• 120g peeled tomatoes
• 30g celery
• 30g onion
• 30g carrot
• 30g garlic
• 1 sprig Italian basil
• Salt            
• White pepper         
• 1 tspn olive oil

Pomodoro sauce method

1. Pan stir chopped garlic, onion, celery and carrot with olive oil
2. Add peeled tomato, Italian basil, salt and white pepper
3. Boil until they are all well mixed

 Main ingredients

• 250g sea bass
• 22g cherry tomatoes
• 30g shallots
• 5g sliced garlic
• 32g zucchini
• 35g eggplant
• 16g Kalamata olives
• 30g artichokes
• 3-4 sprigs of basil
• 1 tspn olive oil
• 10ml Chardonnay wine

Method

1. Pan roast the sea bass fillet on the skin only, until crisp
2. Sautée the vegetables with the sliced garlic and olive oil
3. Prepare the ‘Parchment Pocket’
4. Place inside the vegetables, the herbs-marinated pomodoro sauce and the sea bass
5. Gently simmer the sea bass cartoccio at 160°C for 12 minutes
6. Plate the sea bass and drizzle a few drops of Chardonnay wine on top
7. Decorate the dish with a few fresh herbs from your garden