Psari plaki
Psari plaki: whole fish or thick fillets baked on onions, tomatoes and parsley
Psari plaki is how Greek island families cook the day's catch for a crowd: the fish laid on a bed of soft onions, garlic, tomatoes and parsley, drizzled with olive oil and baked until the sauce turns jammy. It is a traditional Friday and Palm Sunday dish, eaten with bread, horta and plenty of lemon. Use cod, hake, sea bream or grouper. Common mistake: putting the fish in with raw vegetables, which leaves them crunchy and watery when the fish is done; cook the base first. Chef's tip: squeeze lemon over the fish and let it sit while the base bakes; it firms the flesh and seasons it to the bone.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Season 1 ¾ lb thick white fish fillets (cod, hake or grouper) with half the ¾ tsp salt and pour over 1 lemon. Leave in the fridge while you make the base.
Step 2: Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan). Toss 3 onions, 4 cloves garlic, the grated part of 1 ⅛ lb ripe tomatoes, two-thirds of ¾ oz flat-leaf parsley, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp black pepper, the rest of ¾ tsp salt and half of 3 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a roasting dish.
Step 3: Bake the vegetables for 25 minutes, stirring once, until the onions are soft and starting to colour.
25 minStep 4: Nestle the fish into the base, skin side down, lay the tomato slices over and drizzle with the rest of 3 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
Step 5: Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes easily when pressed with a fork, and the sauce is bubbling.
20 minStep 6: Scatter with the rest of ⅓ oz flat-leaf parsley and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 37 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does psari plaki take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lemon?
- Lime, or 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice per lemon (no zest from bottled juice).
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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