Acqua Pazza aka "Crazy Water" | Now We're Cookin'

October 08, 2024

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Pesce all’acqua pazza translates to fish with crazy water in English. It's an Italian dish consisting of fish poached in the “crazy water”, which is a broth made out of white wine, cherry tomatoes, herbs and more. 

I once heard a story about fishermen in Naples who used to make this dish when they could not find any salt, and they would use ocean water instead. I am unsure if that is a true story, but I can assure you, I left the Charleston ocean water out of this recipe and added parmesan rinds instead.

Yields: Four servings as a main course.

STEP 1: The Topping

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3.5 oz capers (1 bottle), drained
  • 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more to garnish
  • Zest of one lemon
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes

Instructions:

  1. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the drained capers and cook for 5 minutes or so until they are crispy. Using a slotted spoon, move the capers to a paper towel-lined small plate or bowl. 
  3. Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the pan if needed. Add the shallots and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they begin to soften and turn slightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside in a small bowl. 
  4. Turn off the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of the chopped parsley, red pepper flakes and the zest of one lemon. Set aside.

STEP 2: The tomato broth base (crazy water), fish, and pasta:

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1-2 cups water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 2-inch Parmigiano Reggiano rind
  • 6-8 oz pasta, preferably rigatoni or another tubular shape, optional
  • 1 lb mild flaky white fish with the bones out , cut into one-inch cubes

 

Recipe card

Click here to download the printable recipe cards

Instructions:

  1. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan, big enough to hold about 8 cups of acqua pazza, over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until they soften, and their skins start to wrinkle, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes more, until the paste darkens slightly. 
  2. Add the wine, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan, and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of water, bay leaf, and Parmigiano Reggiano rind. Let simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10-20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
  3. If adding pasta: While the broth simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, until just short of al dente. It will finish cooking in the “crazy water”. Drain pasta and set aside. 
  4. Add the fish pieces to the broth, and cook for 5 minutes while stirring occasionally, or until just cooked through (it should start to flake when pulled at with a fork). Add more water if you prefer a stew-like dish.
  5. Transfer as much pasta as you would like to the broth and stir gently to coat. Cook for another minute or two. Remove the Parmigiano Reggiano rind and the bay leaf. 
  6. Serve the acqua pazza in bowls and top with caper topping. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice at the end. Warm focaccia is delicious served alongside this dish!

Now We're Cookin' with Chef Lauren Furey teaches viewers how to prepare tasty, locally-sourced seasonal meals that can be served family style— encouraging joy and companionship. 

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Chef Lauren Furey
Lauren Furey
As a private chef and serious lover of feeding people, Chef Lauren Furey creates special, in-home, culinary experiences throughout the Lowcountry. Her core focus is on coastal southern, coastal...
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