BAKED SWORDFISH INVOLTINI

I must admit I am not a huge fish lover.  Well, actually that is not exactly true as there is a lot of fish that I do enjoy eating, but the majority of it is very hard to find around here!  So, I tend to eat mainly salmon or swordfish, which have always come to the top of my “fish that I like”-list, and that, unlike other types of fish, are easily available in Sydney.  Today I am going to share with you one of my all time favourite recipes for swordfish: baked involtini.  Swordfish involtini are a very common dish in Sicilian families and restaurants and, as always when speaking of such an iconic dish, there are many recipes out there.  And, as always, I am going to share with you my family’s version.  Today I will show you how to bake them, but stay tuned as in the future I will also show you another way of cooking swordfish involtini.  I personally love the filling as it is soft and crunchy, delicate yet savoury all in one.  I am sure you can easily understand what I mean just by reading the list of ingredients!  This will also be this week’s Regional Italian dish for… Sicily!  Enjoy and buon appetito!

Ingredients (for 4 people):
2 slices swordfish (about 750 gms – 1 2/3 lbs)
4 tbsp breadcrumbs
Olive oil spray
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt
Lemon slices and bay leaves

For the filling
150 gms – 5 1/3 oz. breadcrumbs
3 tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 ½ tbps onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
3 tbsp tomato purée (passata)
1 tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped
1 ½ tbsp green olives, chopped
1 tbsp pine nuts, chopped
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

To prepare the filling, put the chopped onion, garlic, pine nuts, capers, olives, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, breadcrumbs, tomato purée, extra virgin olive oil, parsley and salt in a bowl and mix well.  You may have to add more extra virgin olive oil, depending on the breadcrumbs and how much they absorb the liquids.  You need to obtain a soft enough stuffing so that when you press it with your hands, it retains the shape you give it and doesn’t crumble.

Now take one slice of swordfish, cut it in half and remove the skin.  Then, using a sharp  knife, slice it in half horizontally.  Flatten each slice using a meat mallet.  As swordfish is delicate, cover it with some baking paper while flattening it, this will reduce the risk of tearing.  Cut each flattened steak in half and keep them aside.  Do the same thing with the second slice of swordfish.

To make the involtini, put some filling at the lower end of the swordfish steak.  You should try and put at least 1 or 1 ½ tbsp of filling per slice.  Press the filling with your hands, so it becomes like a patty.  Now, roll the fish over it and close it with a toothpick.  Repeat this for all the slices of swordfish and keep them aside.

Spray them with some extra virgin olive oil and coat them with some breadcrumbs.  Cover the bottom of an oven proof dish with lemon slices and top them with bay leaves.  Put the swordfish involtini on the top and drizzle them with the juice of ½ a lemon.

Cook in a pre heated oven at 180°C – 355°F for 20 minutes.

Serve warm with some lemon wedges on the side.

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Baked Swordfish Involtini

The recipe for involtini made with swordfish, the Sicilian way!

Course: Main

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 4

Author: Manuela Zangara

Ingredients

• 2 slices swordfish about 750 gms – 1 2/3 lbs
• 4 tbsp breadcrumbs
• Olive oil spray
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Salt
• Lemon slices and bay leaves

For the filling

• 150 gms – 5 1/3 oz. breadcrumbs
• 3 tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano finely grated
• 1 clove of garlic finely chopped
• 1 ½ tbps onion finely chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley chopped
• 3 tbsp tomato purée passata
• 1 tbsp capers rinsed and chopped
• 1 ½ tbsp green olives chopped
• 1 tbsp pine nuts chopped
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. To prepare the filling, put the chopped onion, garlic, pine nuts, capers, olives, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, breadcrumbs, tomato purée, extra virgin olive oil, parsley and salt in a bowl and mix well. You may have to add more extra virgin olive oil, depending on the breadcrumbs and how much they absorb the liquids. You need to obtain a soft enough stuffing so that when you press it with your hands, it retains the shape you give it and doesn’t crumble.
2. Now take one slice of swordfish, cut it in half and remove the skin. Then, using a sharp knife, slice it in half horizontally. Flatten each slice using a meat mallet. As swordfish is delicate, cover it with some baking paper while flattening it, this will reduce the risk of tearing. Cut each flattened steak in half and keep them aside. Do the same thing with the second slice of swordfish.
3. To make the involtini, put some filling at the lower end of the swordfish steak. You should try and put at least 1 or 1 ½ tbsp of filling per slice. Press the filling with your hands, so it becomes like a patty. Now, roll the fish over it and close it with a toothpick. Repeat this for all the slices of swordfish and keep them aside.
4. Spray them with some extra virgin olive oil and coat them with some breadcrumbs. Cover the bottom of an oven proof dish with lemon slices and top them with bay leaves. Put the swordfish involtini on the top and drizzle them with the juice of ½ a lemon.
5. Cook in a pre heated oven at 180°C – 355°F for 20 minutes.
6. Serve warm with some lemon wedges on the side.