Herb & Parmigiano-Crusted Tilapia with Quick Tomato Sauce
Quick and tasty sauce on a tender fish with a nice crunch. From Fine Cooking Magazine Vol 90 pg 86A
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs garlic minced
- 6 Tbs olive oil extra virgin
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes fire-roasted
- pinch granulated sugar
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ cup plain breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- ½ cup chopped mixed fresh herbs thyme, parsley, chives, oregano
- 4 6-oz skinless tilapia fillets
- 1 large egg
Instructions
For the Sauce
- In a small heavy saucepan (1-2 qt), cook the garlic in 2 Tbs of the oil over medium heat until it begins to color, 1-2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and their juices, sugar and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
For the fish
- Meanwhile, on a large plate, toss the breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, herbs, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper.
- Season the fish with salt and pepper. Beat the egg in a wide, shallow dish.
- Dip each fillet in the egg and then the breadcrumb mixture, pressing it on to help it adhere.
- In a 12-inch heavy-duty nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 4 Tbs. olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add two of the fillets and cook until the coating is nicely browned and the flesh is opaque and cooked through 2-3 minutes on each side. Use a slotted spatula to move the fish.
- Serve the tilapia with a spoonful of sauce.
Notes
The original recipe just called for canned tomatoes but I like the fire-roasted ones, so used them instead. For herbs I used sage, oregano, parsley, thyme and rosemary as that is what was growing in my garden 🙂
