Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Calabrian Fish Ragu Pasta Recipe
It is a fish pasta in a richly flavoured fish ragu pasta sauce. It’s an excellent recipe to stretch fish additional and cook dinner it in a novel means that’s outrageously scrumptious with huge, daring Italian Calabrian spices!
I really feel just like the title of right this moment’s recipe requires rationalization.
I’m calling this a ragu as a result of it’s stewy and braisy and has lovely depth of flavour although it hasn’t been gradual cooked for hours like my Shredded Beef Ragu. As a result of, NEWSFLASH, it doesn’t must be gradual cooked for hours to be referred to as a ragu!
As for the Calabrian a part of the title? It’s as a result of the seasoning is impressed by the flavours of Calabria: chillies and notably nduja, the intensely-flavoured salami paste from the area that’s rising in reputation within the foodie world. Stuffed in focaccias, dolloped on pizzas, blended into pasta sauces, this fiery unfold has huge, daring flavours and a little bit bit goes a good distance.
So, as you might need guessed, this can be a fish pasta that’s huge on flavour. I really like that it tastes unique and restaurant-y but it surely’s economical and simple!
Right here’s what you must make this.
1. The fish
Key to this pasta is the spice combine for the fish. As talked about earlier, the flavours on this fish pasta are based mostly on the seasoning on nduja which is a sort of salami. So, assume – fennel and paprika with a success of spiciness. Daring is the phrase that involves thoughts!
Finest fish for this pasta
Any agency white fish fillets (skinless and boneless) can be utilized on this recipe. Listed below are some strategies: snapper, John or Silver dory, barramundi, bream, tilapia, pollock, cod, flathead, perch, ling, bass, basa, hake, hoki, monkfish (dear right here, so I reserve for different makes use of like this recipe). If utilizing frozen, thaw totally and pat dry earlier than utilizing.
I like to recommend avoiding:
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Fish that dry out simply when cooked – Like swordfish, tuna, bonito, kingfish, marlin.
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Delicate and thin-filleted fish – Like flounder, sole, plaice, turbot, whiting. The feel of the flesh is a bit too delicate for this kind of cooking.
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Oily fish – Like sardines or mackerel. A bit too overwhelming, flavours don’t fairly match.
The Calabrian spices
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Complete fennel and black peppercorns – These are toasted then floor, for optimum flavour influence. I’d not ask you to take the time to toast and grind if I actually didn’t consider it was price it. It’s! Nonetheless, I’ve substitutions within the recipe notes for floor fennel and pepper, if that’s all you’ve gotten.
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Extra spices – Nutmeg, paprika, chilli flakes (pink pepper flakes). Be at liberty to dial again the chilli for those who’re involved about spicineess.
2. Within the pasta and the sauce
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Pasta – Any lengthy strand thinnish pasta is right right here. I exploit fettuccine.
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Tomato passata – That is pureed, strained pure tomatoes, generally labelled “tomato puree” within the US (right here’s a photograph of Mutti tomato passata bought at Walmart). It’s available in Australian supermarkets these days, alongside pasta sauces. It prices across the similar as canned tomato.
Passata is great for making thick, clean sauces and soups and not using a lengthy simmer time like required to interrupt down crushed tomato. A daily in my recipes! Extra on tomato passata right here.
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Tomato paste – A lift of tomatoey flavour and to assist thicken the sauce.
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Garlic – As a result of, garlic. Not often do savoury recipes occur round right here with out garlic!
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Parsley and parmesan – garnishes. I do know parmesan isn’t strictly conventional in Italian fish and seafood pastas. However, it really works. We’re not after a great deal of parmesan cheesiness. It simply provides saltiness.
3. pangrattato
Pangrattato is an Italian chunky breadcrumb topping that provides an addictive crunch and taste to pasta dishes and salads. I notably prefer it with this fish ragu because it provides nice texture and is a terrific distinction to the delicate fish.
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Bread – Use a denser bread like sourdough, ciabatta and so on which have construction and go actually crunchy when toasted. Light-weight sandwich bread is a little bit too delicate and sort of simply dissolves into powder, bypassing the crunch utterly. 🙂 BUT – if sandwich bread is all you’ve gotten, I’d nonetheless go forward! Or, substitute with panko breadcrumbs.
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Oil and salt – To make it crunchy and salty.
As talked about earlier, this can be a ragu but it surely doesn’t must be gradual cooked for hours! In truth, for those who can multi-task, you’ll get this on the desk in simply over 20 minutes. 🙂
1. pangrattato first
Get the pangrattato within the oven first. Toss the bread in olive oil and salt, then bake in a 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan-forced) oven for 10 minutes till crisp during.
2. CALABRIAN SPICED FISH NEXT
Subsequent up, toast the spices and coat the fish within the tasty flavours.
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Toast the fennel and black peppercorns for a few minutes till it smells aromatic and you may see the fennel is calmly browned. Use a big deep skillet or pot, one thing giant sufficient to toss the pasta with the sauce later. No oil required at this stage.
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Grind the spices utilizing a mortar and pestle, or a grinder.
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Coat the fish with the bottom fennel and peppercorns, nutmeg, chilli flakes, sugar, salt, olive oil plus the tomato paste.
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As soon as coated, put aside whilst you prep the opposite components. No must marinate.
3. MAKING THE PASTA
The pasta sauce takes across the similar time to cook dinner because the pasta so you may make each on the similar time.
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Boil pasta for the time per the packet instructions minus 1 minute. It ought to be al dente – cooked by however nonetheless a slight agency however. It is going to soften extra because it cooks by extra when tossed with the pasta sauce.
Scoop out about 1 1/2 cups of pasta cooking water. We’ll want this for the pasta tossing on the finish.
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Prepare dinner fish – Sauté the garlic till golden, then add the fish (scrape out each little bit of the paste!) and cook dinner for two minutes.
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Add the tomato passata and simmer for five minutes.
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The fish ragu sauce – That is what it seems like earlier than the tossing course of begins. Discover how the fish items are nonetheless entire at this stage. A number of the items will flake and break once we toss with the pasta, some will keep largely entire. I discover that texture essentially the most interesting for me.
What we don’t need is for all of the fish to disintegrate. It’s a lot nicer to have fish chunks so you’re consuming fish reasonably than unidentifiable mush!
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Add reserved pasta cooking water and simmer for an extra 2 minutes. The pasta cooking water has starch in it which makes the sauce thicken so it clings to the pasta strand. You will note within the subsequent step!
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Toss with pasta – Then add the pasta and many of the parlsey. Toss, nonetheless on the range, for 1 minute or till the pasta strands are stained pink and all of the fish ragu is clinging to the pasta strands reasonably than pooled within the pan.
If the pasta will get too thick (excessively enthusiastic tossing, warmth too excessive are typical causes), simply add a splash of additional pasta cooking water to skinny it out and provides it one other good toss!
Now, it’s prepared for serving. Twirl into bowls and canopy liberally with a bathe of the crunchy pangrattato and end with parmesan!
As with every pasta, this fish ragu is greatest served and eaten piping scorching and recent, straight out of the pan whereas the pasta is sticky and slippery and saucy. Because it sits round, the pasta continues to soak up the liquid, drying it out so it’s thick and stodgy.
So, at any time when you make any pasta, make sure you have the hungry hoards on the desk, able to twirl and slurp the second you carry the pasta bowls to the desk, for optimum enjoyment!
Actually hope you like this as a lot as I do. The fish ragu is divine as it’s. However with that crunchy pangrattato? It’s sheer perfection. Get pleasure from! – Johnsat x
Ingredients
- 250g/ 8 oz firm white fish fillets , skinless, boneless, cut into 2 cm / 0.8″ cubes (barramundi, snapper, cod – Note 1)
- 3/4 tsp black peppercorns (Note 2 for ground option)
- 1 tsp fennel seeds (Note 2 for ground option)
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika (sub ordinary paprika)
- 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes (red pepper flakes), feel free to reduce/omit
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
- 1/2 tsp caster / superfine sugar
- 3/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 250g/8 oz linguine pasta (or fettuccine, spaghetti)
- 1 tbsp cooking / kosher salt , for pasta water
- 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 3/4 cup tomato passata (US: tomato puree, Note 3)
- 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
- Parmesan cheese , finely grated, for serving
- 1 cup stale bread like sourdough, ciabatta , crusts removed, torn/chopped into irregular 1cm/0.4" pieces (Note 4)
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch cooking / kosher salt
Instructions
- Toast & grind – Preheat a large deep skillet or pot over medium heat (Note 5), no oil. Toast black peppercorn and fennel for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until it smells fragrant and the fennel is lightly browned. Transfer to a mortar and use a pestle and grind to a powder while still hot.
- Coat fish – Transfer to a medium bowl with remaining Calabrian spiced fish ingredients. Stir well with a spatula until combined. Set aside.
- Cook pasta – Boil 3 litres of water with the cooking salt. Cook pasta per packet directions minus 1 minute. Just before draining, scoop out 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking water. Then drain in a colander and leave until ready to use.
- Calabrian fish ragu – While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in the same skillet you used to toast the fennel on medium high. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the fish. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly. Add tomato passata. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Toss pasta – Add pasta and 3/4 of the parsley. Toss for 1 minute to coat the pasta with the sauce. Most of the fish will break up into flakes but some will remain in larger chunks – this is good! We don't want disintegrated mush, nor giant chunks. Once the pasta turns red and the sauce and fish bits are clinging to the pasta straws, remove from heat and divide between bowls immediately.
- Serve – Sprinkle with pasta, pangrattato and parmesan. Eat immediately!
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan-forced).
- Toss bread, oil and salt in a small bowl. Spread on a tray and bake for 10 minutes, tossing at the 5 minute mark, or until light golden and fully crisp.
Notes
1. Firm white fish fillets – Works best with fairly firm white fish fillets that are not too thick. Some suggestions: snapper, John or Silver dory, barramundi, bream, tilapia, pollock, cod, flathead, perch, ling, bass, basa, hake, hoki. If using frozen, thaw thoroughly and pat dry before using.
I recommend avoiding:
Fish that dry out easily when cooked – Like swordfish, tuna, bonito, kingfish, marlin.
Delicate and thin-filleted fish – Like flounder, sole, plaice, turbot, whiting. The texture of the flesh is a bit too delicate for this type of cooking.
Oily fish – Like sardines or mackerel. A bit too overwhelming, flavours don’t quite match.
2. Grinding whole spices will give the best flavour in this recipe, it really makes a difference here. I only emphasise this when it matters, I will use pre-ground whenever I can! But you can use pre-ground if that’s all you’ve got. 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper and 1/2 tsp fennel powder. No toasting, just mix in with other spices.
3. Tomato passata – Pureed, strained pure tomatoes, sometimes labelled “tomato puree” in the US (here’s a photo of Mutti tomato passata sold at Walmart). Readily available in Australian supermarkets nowadays, alongside pasta sauces. Excellent for making thick, smooth sauces. More on tomato passata here.
4. Back up – use 1/2 cup panko instead, toast for shorter time. If the bread isn’t stale that’s fine too, it’ll take a little longer to go crunchy and is a little harder to cut into small pieces.
5. Cooking vessel needs to be large enough to toss the sauce with the pasta.
6. Recipe reference – inspired by this recipe torn out from the Delicious magazine during a flight. Though, my resulting recipe is very different. Much saucier (good thing), faster (also a good thing) with bolder flavours (that’s just how I roll!).
7. Leftovers will keep for 3 days in the fridge. Warm in microwave with a splash of water and toss well. Store pangrattato in the pantry.
Nutrition per serving assuming 3 servings.
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