AUTHENTIC RECIPE

Orata al Forno con Patate e PomodoriBaked Sea Bream with Potatoes and Tomatoes

Name: Baked Sea Bream with Potatoes and Tomatoes
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 900 g Whole sea bream; 500 g Potatoes; 3 pieces Tomatoes; 2 cloves Garlic; 6 sprigs Flat-leaf parsley; 100 ml Dry white wine; 70 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 9 g Salt

Difficulty★★★☆☆ Prep25 min Cook35 min servings4

A Puglian oven dish in which whole sea bream is baked over potatoes and tomatoes, allowing the vegetables to absorb the juices from the fish.

Recipe developed and reviewed by the Tabelia Editorial TeamUpdated 2026-05-30

100/ 100

AUTHENTICITY SCORE

Authenticity Score

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Ingredients (4 servings)

Whole sea breamRemove the scales, gills and innards.900 g
PotatoesThinly sliced.500 g
TomatoesSliced into rounds.3 pieces
GarlicThinly sliced.2 cloves
Flat-leaf parsleyFinely chopped.6 sprigs
Dry white wine100 ml
Extra virgin olive oil70 ml
Salt9 g

Method

120 min

Prepare the ingredients

1 Preheat the oven to 190°C.
2 Remove the scales, gills and innards from the 900g sea bream and pat dry.
3 Thinly slice 500g potatoes.
4 Slice 3 tomatoes into rounds.
5 Thinly slice 2 garlic cloves.
6 Finely chop 6 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley.

25 min

Arrange the vegetables

1 Spread the potatoes, tomatoes and garlic in a baking dish and drizzle with 40ml extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with 4g salt.

Ready when

Proceed when the vegetables lie flat without excessive overlapping.

335 min

Bake the fish

1 Put half the parsley and 3g salt inside the sea bream and place it over the vegetables.
2 Pour 100ml white wine and 30ml extra virgin olive oil over the fish and vegetables in the dish; bake at 190°C for 30–35 minutes.
3 The fish is ready when its eyes turn white and the flesh along the back comes away easily from the bones.

42 min

Finish with parsley

1 Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and 2g salt.

Ready when

The dish is ready when the potatoes have absorbed the fish juices and are tender.

A view of Bari, Puglia — Bari, PugliaA view of Italy Photo: Laurens R. Krol · CC BY 4.0 (resized; display cropped)

About this dish

Orata al forno is a whole baked fish dish enjoyed in Puglian homes. When summer tomatoes become sweet, it may be served on a large platter for a family lunch or a meal welcoming guests.

In southern Italian fish cooking, bringing a whole fish to the table is itself an expression of freshness and celebration. Combining it with potatoes and tomatoes is a homely way to share the vegetables as well as the fish.

It is still prepared in homes and seaside restaurants in Puglia. A whole fish at the centre of the platter conveys the spirit of sharing found at southern Italian tables.

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