Baked Sole with Roasted Tomatoes
When talking about “sole” in English, we are referring to the delicate white fish. In Italian, the word sole means sun, and is pronounced “so-lay”while the fish, on the other hand, is called sogliola. If you get the chance to visit an Italian farmer’s market, you’ll typically find this fish sold whole. Don’t be intimidated. Simply ask the fishmonger to skin it, but you don’t need to fillet it for this mouthwatering recipe. The flesh rests on top of the bones and when baked, it glides off easily when pricked with a fork. (Although, if you can only find sole fillets readily available, they work too, just reduce the baking time.)
A common way to serve sole in Italian home kitchens is to layer with crispy bread crumbs and top with fresh herbs, tomatoes, or for an added kick, anchovy fillets. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and black pepper and bake in the oven until the white meat flakes away from the bone. This is one dish where you can enjoy Italian simplicity at its best.
Serves: 2
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175*C).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the sole and top with bread crumbs, tomatoes, a swirl of extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Bake for 15-25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. It’s ready when the meat is white and easily flakes away from the bone when scraped with a fork.
