Non-VegetarianToscana cuisine Main Course

Triglie alla Livornese

Name: Triglie alla Livornese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Toscana
Ingredients: 800 g red mullet (triglie); 45 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 3 cloves garlic (aglio); 400 g canned whole peeled plum tomatoes (pelati); 20 g fresh flat-leaf parsley (prezzemolo); 0.5 tsp dried red chilli flakes (peperoncino); 1 tsp Fine sea salt; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 4 slices unsalted tuscan bread (pane toscano)

Tender whole red mullet gently simmered in a rich garlic, chilli, and tomato sauce, served hot with crusty Tuscan bread.

🇮🇹Italy· Tuscany

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 40 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 380 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

800 g red mullet (triglie) — scaled, gutted, heads intact
45 ml Extra virgin olive oil — Tuscan preferred
3 cloves garlic (aglio) — thinly sliced
400 g canned whole peeled plum tomatoes (pelati) — crushed by hand
20 g fresh flat-leaf parsley (prezzemolo) — finely chopped, divided
½ tsp dried red chilli flakes (peperoncino) — adjust to taste
1 tsp Fine sea salt — to taste
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper — to taste
4 slices unsalted tuscan bread (pane toscano) — thickly sliced for serving

Equipment

•Wide shallow frying pan with lid
•Chopping board
•Chef's knife
•Kitchen paper

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 380 kcal
fat: 14 g
carbs: 28 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 34 g
calories: 380 kcal

Instructions

1
Pat the gutted and scaled red mullet thoroughly dry with kitchen paper.
2
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat.
3
Add the sliced garlic, chilli flakes, and half the parsley to the oil.
4
Cook gently for one minute until fragrant without letting the garlic brown.
5
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and season with fine sea salt and pepper.
6
Simmer the sauce uncovered for fifteen minutes until rich, glossy, and slightly reduced.
7
Nestle the whole red mullet into the simmering sauce in a single layer.
8
Cover the pan with a lid and simmer over low heat for eight minutes.
9
Uncover the pan, scatter over the remaining fresh parsley, and remove from heat.
10
Spoon the hot tomato sauce over the fish and serve with Tuscan bread.

Chef's tips

Do not stir the fish once placed in the pan, as red mullet flesh is exceptionally delicate and breaks easily. Check doneness by gently testing if the dorsal fin pulls away cleanly from the flesh. Use unsalted bread to mop up the savoury, garlicky tomato sauce.

Ingredient substitutions

red mullet (triglie) → red gurnard or small sea bass, though the flavour will be milder
unsalted Tuscan bread (pane toscano) → crusty sourdough or country loaf

Storage

Best enjoyed immediately, but leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one day.

Reheating

Reheat very gently in a covered pan over low heat with a splash of water until just warmed through.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Overcooking the fish, which causes the delicate flesh to dry out and disintegrate.
•Flipping the fish during cooking rather than letting it gently steam under the lid.
•Burning the garlic at the start, which makes the tomato sauce unpleasantly bitter.

Serving suggestions

Serve immediately in warm shallow bowls with plenty of sauce ladled on top.Accompany with thick slices of rustic unsalted bread for the traditional scarpetta.Pair with a chilled Tuscan white wine such as Vermentino or Ansonica.