Pesce all'acqua pazza
The Campanian fisherman's way with a whole fish: poached in 'crazy water' of cherry tomatoes, garlic, parsley, chilli and olive oil.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- Mild
- Cost
- A bit special$16–28 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Acqua pazza, 'crazy water', is a whole fish poached in a shallow broth of water, cherry tomatoes, garlic, parsley, chilli and olive oil. It is how Campania's fishermen cooked their catch, and the method suits any firm white fish: in Italy sea bream, sea bass or red snapper; in Australia snapper or bream. Scale and gut the fish and leave the head on, because the head and bones give the broth its flavour. Warm garlic and chilli in oil, add halved cherry tomatoes and cook until they start to burst, then add water to come halfway up the fish, lay it in, cover and simmer gently, spooning the broth over it. Done is a fish so tender it lifts off the bone, in a light, peppery, tomato-sweet broth to mop up with bread.
What you'll need
9 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
- Firm white fish, whole snapper or sea bream, scaled and gutted, head on1 kg
- Cherry tomatoes, halved300 g
- Garlic, sliced3 clove
- Parsley, flat-leaf, stalks and leaves separated, leaves chopped1 bunch
- Fresh chilli, dried peperoncino, crumbled1 small
- Olive oil, extra virgin, plus more to finish74 ml
- Water, roughly300 ml
- Salt4.9 ml
- Crusty bread, to serve (optional)4 slice
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
In a wide pan that fits the fish, warm the oil with the garlic, chilli and parsley stalks for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt and cook 5 minutes until they begin to burst.
7 min
Step 2
Salt the fish inside and out and lay it in the pan. Add water to come halfway up the fish, bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently 15–20 minutes, basting with the broth, until the flesh by the backbone flakes.
18 min
Tip: Cut two shallow slashes in each side of a thick fish so it cooks evenly.
Step 3
Scatter with the parsley leaves and a thread of raw oil. Serve the fish with its broth and bread to mop it up.
1 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 678 kcal
- Protein
- 72.6 g
- Carbs
- 37.1 g
- Fat
- 25.9 g
- Saturated fat
- 3.9 g
- Fibre
- 2.7 g
- Sugar
- 3.2 g
- Sodium
- 1085 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Fish
- Pescatarian
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 13 November.
Substitutions
Whole fish → Thick white fish fillets
Cook 6–8 minutes, skin side up.
Tips
- Fish cooked on the bone stays moist and flavours the broth; fillets work but take half the time.
- Taste the broth before serving and add a pinch of salt or a splash of water as needed.
History & culture
Along the Amalfi Coast, on Ischia and Capri and around the Bay of Naples, it is on every seafood restaurant's menu, and at home it is the everyday way to cook a fresh fish. Whatever broth is left is often tossed with spaghetti the next day.
Its origins are fishermen's. One story says they poached their catch on board in seawater with a few tomatoes and garlic; another, that 'acqua pazza' was the rough local wine, watered down, that went into the pan. Cherry tomatoes, above all the piennolo tomatoes hung in bunches on the slopes of Vesuvius, became as essential as the fish.
Traditional — A whole white fish, cherry tomatoes, garlic, parsley, chilli, olive oil and water.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Pesce all'acqua pazza take?
40 min all in — 15 min prep, 25 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 3 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
Mild.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Fish. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Pescatarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free.
6 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
A bit special — about $16–28 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Frying pan, Chef's knife.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Whole fish → Thick white fish fillets. Cook 6–8 minutes, skin side up.
Any tips from this recipe?
Fish cooked on the bone stays moist and flavours the broth; fillets work but take half the time. Taste the broth before serving and add a pinch of salt or a splash of water as needed.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
Similar dishes
Spaghetti alle vongole
Naples' clam spaghetti: clams opened in olive oil with garlic, finished with their own sea-salty juices and parsley. No cheese, no tomato.
Medium
Linguine with prawns, garlic and chilli
Linguine ai gamberi
Coastal Italian linguine with prawns, garlic, chilli, white wine and a few cherry tomatoes, finished in a quick stock made from the shells. No cheese.
MediumMedium heat
Baccalà mantecato
Venice's whipped stockfish: dried cod soaked for days, poached and beaten with olive oil and garlic into a fluffy cream, served on grilled polenta.
Medium