TABELIA

AUTHENTIC RECIPE

Branzino al CartoccioSea Bass Baked in Parchment

Sea Bass Baked in Parchment
Difficulty★★★☆☆ Prep20 min Cook22 min servings2

A northern Italian fish dish in which sea bass is wrapped with herbs, white wine and lemon and steam-roasted inside a paper parcel.

Recipe developed and reviewed by the Tabelia Editorial TeamUpdated
100/ 100

AUTHENTICITY SCORE

Authenticity Score

This is the standard recipe, exactly as it’s made where it comes from — the highest Authenticity Score possible. Substituting ingredients changes this score; the app shows exactly how, ingredient by ingredient.

Ingredients (2 servings)

  • Whole sea bassRemove the scales, gills and innards.600 g
  • LemonThinly sliced.1 piece
  • Thyme3 sprigs
  • Rosemary1 sprig
  • GarlicThinly sliced.1 clove
  • White wine60 ml
  • Extra virgin olive oil35 ml
  • Salt6 g

Method

115 min

Prepare the fish and parcel

  • 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C.
  • 2 Remove the scales, gills and innards from 600 g sea bass and pat it dry.
  • 3 Thinly slice 1 lemon.
  • 4 Thinly slice 1 garlic clove.
  • 5 Prepare 3 thyme sprigs and 1 rosemary sprig.
25 min

Wrap the fish

  • 1 Lay the sea bass on a large sheet of baking parchment and put the lemon, thyme, rosemary, garlic and 3 g salt in the cavity.
  • 2 Pour 60 ml white wine and 35 ml extra virgin olive oil over the fish, sprinkle with 3 g salt, and seal the paper tightly.
  • 3 Continue once no liquid can leak from the parcel.
322 min

Steam-roast

  • 1 Bake at 200°C for 18–22 minutes.
  • 2 Remove when the parcel has puffed up and steam has reached the center of the fish.
42 min

Open and serve

  • 1 Open the paper parcel at the table.
  • 2 It is ready when herb-scented steam rises and the moist sea bass flesh comes away from the bone.
A view of Mantova, Lombardia
Mantova, LombardiaA view of Italy Photo: Zairon · CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized; display cropped)

About this dish

Branzino al cartoccio has long been enjoyed as a summer fish dish in northern Italian homes and in lakeside and seaside restaurants. Its aroma rises the instant the paper parcel is opened at the table, making the act of dining part of the dish itself.

Northern Italy has a tradition of preparing lake and sea fish lightly with herbs. The cartoccio method of baking in a parcel spread as a convenient form for both home ovens and tables set for guests.

It remains a well-loved, authentic fish dish that is approachable in a home oven. Lighter in character than salt-crust baking, it suits a modern table that appreciates the aromas of herbs and white wine.

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