Fish plaki (psari plaki)

When we made this dish on the island of Psara, the island I grew up on, we would use red mullet (barbounia) for this dish. My grandmother would always serve me the head. Every time I cook it, my thoughts wander to my childhood.

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 kg fresh deep sea cod fillets
• sea salt and cracked pepper, to taste
• 2 potatoes, peeled, cut into quarters
• 1 tsp dried wild oregano
• 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup spring onions, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 cup continental parsley, chopped
• 2 large fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 16 Kalamata olives

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Place the fish in a baking dish and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Rub it in well.

Season the potatoes with salt and pepper, a little of the oregano and a couple of tablespoons of the olive oil. Arrange these around the fish.

Arrange the spring onions and garlic on top of the fish, followed by the parsley and tomatoes. Season to taste with salt, pepper and oregano. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top of the fish. Finish by placing the olives on top.

Place the dish in the oven and cook for 1 hour, until the fish and potatoes are cooked. Ensure the tops of the potatoes are golden brown.

Serve the dish warm with a leafy green salad.

© 2013 Maria Benardis

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.