Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta and Fish
- 400 g spaghetti
- 400 g bluefish fillet, skinless, pin bones removed, cut into 3cm chunks
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 300 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 200 g zucchini, diced into 1cm cubes
- 150 g red bell pepper, cored and diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 30 g capers, drained and lightly rinsed
- 45 ml olive oil
- 15 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- kosher salt
- black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil.
Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, diced red bell pepper, and diced zucchini. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften and become fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Add the halved cherry tomatoes and capers to the skillet. Continue to cook until the tomatoes begin to burst and release their juices, creating a rustic, chunky sauce.
While the sauce simmers, drop the spaghetti into the boiling water. Cook until al dente, about 1 minute less than the package instructions.
Season the bluefish chunks with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Nestle the fish pieces into the simmering tomato sauce. Cover the skillet and cook gently until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 63C/145F and turns completely opaque.
Using tongs, transfer the cooked spaghetti directly from the pot into the skillet, bringing along about 60ml of starchy pasta water. Gently fold the pasta into the sauce and fish, taking care not to completely shred the delicate fillets, until the sauce coats the noodles evenly.
Divide the pasta and fish equally among warm bowls. Garnish generously with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Bluefish has a robust, oily flavor profile that requires bold, acidic counterparts like blistered tomatoes and briny capers to achieve balance.
- Buying exceptionally fresh bluefish is critical. Its high oil content means it degrades much more rapidly than leaner white fish. Look for firm flesh and absolutely no fishy odor at the market.
- Using starchy pasta water is the secret to a cohesive sauce. The starches act as a binder, pulling the olive oil, tomato juices, and fish oils together into a glossy coating that clings to the spaghetti.
- When folding the pasta into the sauce, use a gentle lifting motion from the bottom of the pan to keep the bluefish chunks largely intact, though some flaking is natural and adds body to the dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Bluefish degrades quickly; consume leftovers within 24 hours.
Reheating: Reheat very gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water to prevent overcooking the fish.
