Poached Italian Fish Recipe: Acqua Pazza

This Italian fish recipe is simply poached fish in a flavorsome broth. The secret to creating a tasty acqua pazza dish is to cook the cod in a lightly seasoned broth that includes cherry tomatoes, garlic, parsley, and white wine. 

For a truly authentic Italian fish dish, be sure to use the freshest ingredients.

Jump to:

• Introduction
• What is Acqua Pazza?
• How to make this Italian fish recipe
• How to serve this Italian dish
• Tips
• FAQ
• What to serve with acqua pazza?
• Campania Food
• Recipe origins
• Recipe

Introduction

Italian fish recipes are some of the healthiest and most delicious dishes you can make.

They also have one more thing in common, whether it’s this family recipe for cod in tomato sauce or this baked cod fish recipe; they are simple fish recipes with so much flavor!

Acqua pazza is another great recipe for tasty, easy, and healthy Italian fish recipes.

What is Acqua Pazza?

“Acqua pazza” means crazy water in Italian.  By putting the word “pesce,” which is Italian for fish, in front of it, “pesce all’acqua pazza” becomes fish in crazy water.

It is a Neapolitan dish that features fresh white fish poached in a flavorful broth. The broth usually contains cherry tomatoes, garlic, parsley, and white wine. In this recipe, we will also use shallots, capers, and a bay leaf for extra flavor.

This typical dish of the Campania region in southern Italy is traditionally made with whole fish, which adds more flavor to the broth. However, cod fillets provide a more approachable and quicker option for a weeknight meal.

Cod is a fish that can take on the tastes of whatever it is cooked in, and in this dish, the cod fillets will absorb all the flavors of the acqua pazza.

It is also a very affordable fish, which makes it perfect for this budget-friendly recipe.

How to make this Italian fish recipe

Making acqua pazza is a two-step process. First, you will need to make the broth by cooking the aromatics in a pot of wine and water. Second, you will use that same broth to poach the cod.

Making the broth

Let’s begin by prepping our ingredients.

Start by thinly slicing 2-3 garlic cloves and finely chopping 1 shallot.

You also need to halve 8 ounces of cherry tomatoes. That’s approximately 2 cups in total. Cut them in quarters if they are large.

We also need about 3-4 tablespoons of fresh chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley. Do not discard the stems as we will use these.

Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil followed by the sliced garlic and ¼ teaspoon chili flakes. Saute for 1-2 minutes and constantly stir until the garlic is fragrant and just begins to sizzle. Do not brown the garlic.

Next, add the minced shallot and saute for another 2-3 minutes or until it softens. Once again, stirring constantly.

Add the halved cherry tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of capers, and 1 bay leaf. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the tomatoes begin to soften. Season with ½ teaspoon of kosher salt.

Now, it’s time to deglaze the pan with ½ cup of white wine, followed by 1 cup of water. Add the parsley stems and 2 tablespoons of the chopped fresh parsley. We will use the remaining parsley to garnish our dish later.

Bring the mixture to a boil and then lower it to a simmer.

Poaching the fresh cod

Now that we have our flavorful broth, it’s time to add the cod. Season both sides of 4 cod fillets (1½ pounds in total) with the remainder ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional).

Carefully place the cod fillets into the broth. If using fish with skin, place the skin side down. Spoon some broth and tomatoes over each fillet to ensure they are fully submerged.

Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid, and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the fish is opaque and you can flake it apart with a fork.

The final internal temperature of the fish should reach at least 145° F (63° C). [source]

How to serve this Italian dish

Once the cod is cooked, carefully remove it from the broth and place it in shallow soup bowls.

You can reduce the broth for a minute or two to concentrate the flavors. Remove the bay leaf and the parsley stems. Taste the broth to adjust for seasoning.

Ladle the broth over the cod fillets and garnish with the remaining chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil (optional). 

Serve immediately with some crusty bread to soak up all the delicious broth.

Tips

• Use the best quality and fresh ingredients for the best flavor.
• Don’t overcook the fish – it should be flaky but not falling apart.
• Taste and season the broth well for maximum flavor after the cod is cooked. 
• The cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your fish fillets. 

FAQ

What to serve with acqua pazza?

Campania Food

With its rich and unique flavors, it is no surprise that this Italian region has some delicious dishes and desserts worth mentioning. Here are a few more delicious regional dishes and sweets of Campania that you may like to try:

Pizza Margherita: the classic pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil

Parmigiana Melanzane, or Eggplant Parmesan: baked eggplant slices with tomato sauce and mozzarella

Caprese salad: a fresh salad with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil

Gnocchi alla sorrentina: potato gnocchi with mozzarella and tomatoes

Struffoli: fried balls of dough, often served with honey

Chiacchiere: fried pastry cookies, often served during Carnival

Pastiera: a ricotta and wheat pastry, often served during Easter

Roccocò: an almond spiced cookie often served during Christmas

Mostaccioli: rhomboid-shaped chocolate-coated Christmas cookie

Recipe origins

My mom was born in Benevento, in the Italian region of Campania. It is a small town in Southern Italy, close to Naples.

This poached fish dish was always on the Friday fish rotation along with the cod served with tomatoes and fried smelts.

Over the years, I have made minor changes to my mom’s recipe by adding shallots and capers and using more than just a pinch of pepper flakes for a little heat. I also prefer the ease of using cod fillets instead of whole fish.

It is a simple recipe that is light and healthy yet tasty. The key to this dish is to use the freshest ingredients possible.

This dish can be on your table in 30 minutes, making it perfect for a weeknight meal. It can also be doubled or tripled for a larger crowd.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and please feel free to share any feedback or questions in the comments below. Buon appetito!

★★★★★ If you have made this Southern Italian poached fish recipe, I would love to hear about them in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

Recipe