Pomodorini e coda di rospo-Monkfish and cherry tomatoes is a delicious recipe that makes the best use of the main ingredients found in Campania: tomatoes, olives, and fish.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

450g of cherry tomatoes left whole with stems removed

800g of boned monkfish cut into small bite sized chunks

Coarse sea salt

1 Lemon cut in half

16 Sprigs of parsley

4 Large garlic cloves, peeled

60mL Extra virgin olive oil

1 Teaspoon of fine salt

1/2 Teaspoon of freshly ground pepper

12 Basil leaves

10 Pitted black olives

Chilli flakes (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 375ºF/190ºC/Gas mark 5. Rinse the tomatoes and arrange them in a baking pan. Place the pan in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove the tomatoes and let them cool for 30 minutes.

As the tomatoes are baking, soak the bite size monkfish for 30 minutes in a bowl of cold water with a little coarse sea salt and the squeezed lemon halves. Rinse the fish under cold running water, pat them dry with paper towels, and place them in a round Pyrex dish. Cut the cooled tomatoes in half and add them to the fish.

Chop the parsley and garlic together, add the olives and sprinkle the mixture over the tomatoes. Season with the oil, salt, pepper, and the chilli flakes. Gently mix all the ingredients together, cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour mixing the ingredients once every 20 minutes.

Place a large non-stick frying pan with a lid over a medium heat, and when the pan is very hot, add the fish mixture. Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes, shaking the pan several times to be sure that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. By this time, the fish should be cooked and the tomatoes will have fallen apart to form a tasty sauce.

Season to taste, mix very well and spoon the hot mixture over warmed sour dough bread slices placed on individual serving dishes.  Sprinkle with the basil leaves  and serve.

Buon appetito!