Orata Al Forno (Baked Sea Bream With Potatoes)

This recipe is based on a very easy one I found in an Italian cookbook called "Cucina Italiana". Over the years I have changed this and that and adapt it to may own taste. I love to cook with whole fish. Sea Bream (Orata) has such wonderful flavours, if you cook it in the oven. You won't believe the difference between fillet and a whole fish until you try it. If you can get a whole sea bream, get it. The recipe is very easy, it is alsmost done in a few minutes, but you have to wait until the fish is done in the oven. While the fish is in the oven, the room is filled up by delicious flavours. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 1-2

Ingredients

• 1 (1 lb)  sea  bream, gut and scales removed
• 1⁄2 lb potato
• 1  garlic clove, sliced
• 1  green onion, sliced
• 1⁄2 lemon, sliced
• 1 -2  sprig fresh rosemary (about 3 inches long)
•  olive oil
•  salt and pepper
• 1  tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven (430 F, 220 C).
2. Wash and peel the potatoes. Slice them (about 1/4 inch thick).
3. Mix the potato slices with as less olive oil as possible. They should only be coated and not soaked. Arrange the slices on an oven-proofed dish, so that later the fish could be placed on them. Salt them to taste with salt and a little pepper.
4. Put them in the oven and bake them covered with aluminium foil for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile prepare and clean fish. Wash and pat dry. Remove pectoral and ventral fins.
6. Sprinkle some salt into stomach cavity. Put two slices of lemon, a few slices of garlic and one sprig rosmary into cavity. Brush on both sides with a little olive oil.
7. After 15 minutes take potatoes out of the oven and sprinkle with slices of green onions and the rest of garlic.
8. Place fish on the potatoes. Sprinkle with some salt and put back in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until fish is done (Fish is done when the dorsal fin can easily be removed).
9. If the fish gets to dry while baking, brush with a little olive oil.
10. When fish is done take out of the oven and sprinkle with parsley and serve hot with additional slices of lemon.
11. NOTE: Serve fish as a whole or fillet prior to serving.