Sicilian Fish & Linguine

Benvenuti in Sicilia! Sicily is our 2nd stop on Mediterranean Week here at Farmgirl Gourmet and this dinner is a super quick, super tasty week night dinner. Ok, Let’s visualize for a moment.  There’s no longer snow on the ground, the breeze and sun are warm.  You can hear the sea kissing the beautiful beach.  Can you smell the salty Mediterranean air?  I can! Now that you’re transported, lets talk about what you’d eat in Sicily.  Think fresh, local and quick to prepare.  Delicious veggies from your garden, fresh made pasta and frutti di mare (fruits of the sea) and a glass of vino. Should I check flight schedules or will you?  🙂  Ok, ok, enough dreaming.  Let’s get to some good grub!  Mange!

Start off with beautiful ripe tomatoes.  This would be a great summer time dinner as I’d prefer to pick ripe tomatoes from my garden rather than buying them from the grocery store, but alas it’s January 4th and there’s 3 feet of snow on the ground, so store bought will have to do.

Get a big pot of water boiling and then score the bottoms of the tomatoes with an X.

Drop them into the boiling water and let them roll around for 30 seconds or so.  Just until you see the skins start to split.  Then evacuate them quick.

The skins should peel off easily.  Let the tomatoes cool for a second, you don’t want to scald your hands.

Add some olive oil to a frying pan over medium high heat.

Crush 3 fat cloves of garlic and toss them into the oil. Note: Garlic browns FAST so keep a swift eye on these babies.

Peel your tomatoes, slice in half and remove the seeds.  Rough chop and toss them in with the garlic.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Add in half a glass of wine and a splash extra for good health and prosperity.  I don’t know if the extra splash will really bring that.  I just like wine.  A lot. No comments from the peanut gallery. What is a peanut gallery? Moving on….

To the water you par-boiled the tomatoes in, add a package of linguine and cook to your liking.

Salt and pepper your fish and place in the tomato sauce.  Cook until the fish flakes easily.  About 5-8 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.

Add a ladle of the pasta water to the fish and then drain the pasta.

Dress the pasta with a tablespoon of olive oil.  Add the sauce, fish and some fresh chopped parsley.  Enjoy! Dalla mia cucina alla tua!

Sicilian Fish & Linguine
{Printable Recipe}
Serves 4


4 large tomatoes
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp olive oil (separated)
1/2 cup white wine
4 cod fillets (about 4 oz each)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 lb cooked linguine
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped


1) Make an X on the bottoms of the tomatoes and par boil for about 30 seconds, or until the skins begin to split.  Remove and let rest until they are cool enough to handle.  Remove the skins, seeds and rough chop.
2) To a large frying pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the crushed garlic and cook until just beginning to color.  Add chopped tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for about 8 minutes.  Add the wine and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes.
3) Salt and pepper the fish and add to the tomato mixture and cook until the fish is flaky, about 5-8 minutes, turning once.  Add a ladle of pasta cooking water just before serving.
4) Add 1 tablespoons of olive oil to the cooked linguine and toss.  Add the tomato sauce, fish and finish with a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley.  Enjoy with a large salad, some crusty bread and chilled glass of Pinot Grigio.

Enjoy!