Baked Fish with Vegetables

Known in Greece as: Psari Plaki

Whole fish baked with tomatoes, potatoes, and herbs - a healthy Greek one-pan meal.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 25 min
Cook: 50 min
Total: 1h 15m
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 - 6
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 1.5kg whole white fish (sea bream, sea bass, or red snapper), scaled and gutted
  • 4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
  • 2 large onions, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 4 ripe tomatoes, sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 150ml white wine
  • 150ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Large bunch fresh parsley, chopped
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan).

  2. Rinse the fish inside and out under cold water and pat dry. Make 3-4 diagonal slashes on each side of the fish - this helps it cook evenly and absorb flavours. Season inside and out with salt, pepper, and some lemon juice.

  3. In a large roasting tin (big enough to hold the fish and vegetables), arrange the potato slices in an overlapping layer to create a bed for the fish.

  4. Heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, celery, and green pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes until softened.

  5. Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, wine, oregano, sugar, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

  6. Pour half of this tomato and vegetable mixture over the potatoes in the roasting tin.

  7. Place the fish on top of the vegetables. Arrange the fresh tomato slices over and around the fish.

  8. Pour the remaining tomato mixture around (not directly on) the fish. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil.

  9. Cover the tin tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes.

  10. Remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the fish is cooked through (the flesh should be opaque and flake easily) and the potatoes are tender. Baste the fish with the pan juices halfway through.

  11. Remove the bay leaves. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and a final squeeze of lemon juice. Serve directly from the baking dish, giving each person a portion of fish and plenty of vegetables and sauce. This is healthy, flavourful Greek home cooking at its best - simple ingredients transformed into something wonderful. Perfect with a crisp white wine and crusty bread.