Flathead Verde Puttanesca
Jamie Yates
Hobart is a favourite destination of the Alpha Box & Dice team, with, arguably, a food and wine scene to rival our own in South Australia. When on the search for the perfect pasta recipe to inspire Alpha Box & Dice drinkers this winter, we looked no further than Jamie Yates.
Not only is she one of Hobart’s best young chefs who has made waves in two of our favourite intimate and buzzy venues, Templo and Sonny, but she is a self proclaimed pasta queen. After trying this recipe, you too will realise this is no arbitrary title, this is a ragu for royalty!
Since donning the pans of Hobart’s favourite intimate venues Templo & Sonny, Jamie now flies solo running pasta pop-ups across Tasmania and cooking private dinners.
FLATHEAD VERDE PUTTANESCA
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
500g Fettuccine
500g Flathead fillets
200g Green olives
80g Capers
200ml Extra virgin olive oil
1 Bunch chopped parsley
4 Cloves garlic
1 cup White wine
1 Lemon, zest & juice
Sea salt & black pepper
NOTES
In Tassie, I like to use Flathead, but you can use whatever white semi-firm fish is local to you.
METHOD
First thing, preheat your oven to 180, then pop on your pasta water, you want it to taste like the ocean - that’s how much salt to add.
Lay your flathead in a baking tray, douse it with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 8 minutes, or until just set. Whilst your fish is in the oven, chop your garlic, parsley & zest/juice your lemon.
By now, you should have all elements of your meal ready to go, it’s time to boil your pasta - cook it for a minute under what you would normally, I like to finish it in the
pan sauce.
Place a large fry pan on medium heat and using the oil from the fish tray, sauté your garlic, zest, olives & capers. Once your garlic is translucent and golden add your wine and allow to reduce by half, reduce to a low heat.
By this time your pasta should be near ready, use tongs to transfer it straight from its pot into your saucepan. Flake your fish into the pasta and stir the noodles vigorously in a circular motion, this will encourage the sauce and pasta to adhere to one another, add splashes of pasta water to achieve a silky-saucy consistency. Finish with parsley, lemon juice & cracked black pepper.