In this recipe I show you how to prepare gratinated fish fillets, a simple method to make fish very tasty and not only: also light and ideal for those on a diet. Cooking can be done in a conventional oven or in the popular air fryer, saving time and energy.
They actually become real fish cutlets, crunchy and flavorful but with a lot fewer calories, and of course Weight Watchers points, than the classic version. Here we use only 2 teaspoons of oil for as many as 4 servings.
At home this recipe is a hit. I made it with plaice, with cod and I also tried it with a very particular fish, the spinarolo; with the latter I made it without eggs.
Let’s see the preparation and I’ll leave you some other light fish recipes below:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4Servings
- Cooking methods: Oven, Air Fryer
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs fish (fillets)
- 1 egg (optional)
- 3 1/2 tbsp skim milk (optional)
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 small bunch parsley
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt and pepper
- Points per serving with egg and milk = 8 WW points
- Points per serving without egg and milk = 7 WW points
Tools
- Oven
- Air Fryer
Preparation
Beat the egg(s) with the milk, salt and pepper to taste in a deep plate. In another plate mix the breadcrumbs with finely chopped garlic and parsley and a little salt. The more parsley you add, the more flavorful the result will be.
Thoroughly pat the fish dry with paper towels. Dip the fillets one by one first in the egg mixture, drain them well and then coat them with the breadcrumbs. Place the breaded fish directly on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. At the end sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs over the fillets and then evenly drizzle the two teaspoons of oil.
Bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for 20 minutes and then turn on the grill for another 5 minutes: this last step will make the gratinated fish fillets very crispy.
Et voilà: the gratinated fish fillets just out of the oven!
Place the breaded fillets directly in the air fryer basket and cook at 356°F for 10 minutes and then at 392°F for another 5 minutes or until golden. You can drizzle the two teaspoons of oil or use oil spray. There’s no need to preheat the air fryer.
Here is the spinarolo: the fillet is much thicker than plaice and meatier. In this case I didn’t use egg and milk, I simply placed the well-dried fish on parchment paper and distributed the breadcrumbs with herbs over the fillets, then the oil and the same procedure in the oven or air fryer: delicious this way too!
Whether they’re like cutlets or just topped with a breadcrumb coating, light gratinated fish fillets are a delight.
It’s certainly also a great way to get children to eat fish: my son is no longer a child but at the table he’s still a bit one and he loves this dish. You can serve a lovely dinner that everyone will enjoy, on a diet or not, because the difference with fried cutlets is hardly noticeable.
Let me know if you liked the fish prepared this way by leaving a comment below or on Facebook.
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different type of fish?
I used plaice fillets but it turns out great with cod or hake as well.
Can I use frozen fish?
Certainly, but if you use frozen fish you must thaw it completely and then dry it very well with paper towels.
