The baked perch is a tasty second course with a Mediterranean aroma, tender fillets covered with an aromatic and crunchy breadcrumb. Among the many ways we can cook fish, one of our favorites is to bake it with a few ingredients that give a particular taste and aroma to the fish. In fact, we had already proposed the recipe for baked perch gratin and today we recommend a slightly different version but using this type of freshwater fish with a very delicate flavor. In this recipe, we cover the fish fillets with an aromatic mix made with bread, olives, and lemon, but we also add fresh tomatoes and basil to get a gratin fish that in flavor resembles the typical aroma of red pesto. A quick bake in the oven allows both the fish to cook and the breadcrumb to become crunchy, and it’s ready to serve!
The preparation is very simple: in the blender, mix toasted bread with olives, garlic, tomatoes, basil, sage, and lemon zest. Spread both sides of the perch fillets with an emotion made with oil and lemon juice and cover them with the bread and tomato mixture. Bake in the oven at 392°F for about 15 minutes or more depending on the size of the fillets.
With some crispy baked potatoes or a fresh salad, the baked perch is excellent to serve at any time, even on special occasions like holidays or Christmas or New Year’s when with minimal effort we will bring to the table a dish that everyone will like!
Discover also:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients to Prepare Baked Perch
- 2 fillets perch fish
- 14 oz rustic bread
- 1/2 cup green olives
- 1 cup tomatoes
- 1 lemon (zest and juice)
- basil
- sage
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Tools to Prepare Baked Perch
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Brush
- 1 Baking Tray
- 1 Blender
- 1 Pan
- 1 Stove
- 1 Oven
Steps to Prepare Baked Perch
Prepare the baked perch first by toasting the slices of bread in a pan or oven.
Chop the herbs, garlic, and olives.
Chop the tomatoes into cubes.
Peel the lemon zest avoiding the white part, which is bitter, and squeeze the juice.
Combine in the blender the bread pieces, garlic, olives, herbs, tomatoes, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth.
In a small bowl, mix the oil with the lemon juice.
Place the perch fillets on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and brush them with the oil and lemon emulsion on both sides.
Spread the aromatic breadcrumb over the fillets and drizzle with the remaining emulsion.
Bake in the preheated oven at 392°F and cook for 15-20 minutes or less depending on the size of the fillets used. The last three minutes you can turn on the grill. Serve the baked perch fillets hot or warm.
Simo and Cicci Recommend
You can store the baked perch fillets in the fridge for up to two days.
You can enrich the breadcrumb with different types of herbs and spices such as thyme, mint, marjoram, paprika. You can also use pitted black olives, capers, or chopped onion.
You can substitute lemon zest and juice with orange or lime zest and juice.
You can add nuts like pine nuts, almonds, pistachios, etc., to the breadcrumb.
You can replace rustic bread with breadcrumbs, even in a gluten-free version for a gluten-free dish.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can this recipe be used with another type of fish?
Of course, this recipe can also be adapted with other types of fillets like sea bream, salmon, sole, or cod.
