Positano and Acqua Pazza

In April, we spent a weekend in the seaside town of Positano on Italy's Amalfi Coast. This charming, colorful town is still peaceful in the early Spring before the temperatures rise and sun worshippers descend upon it by the time Summer hits.

John Steinbeck wrote an essay about Positano in 1953 and I think he says it best, "Positano bites deep. It is a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone."

We spent the weekend playing with rocks on the beach and watching the town awaken from winter's repose. Roman followed the one small delivery truck around on the beachfront as it delivered seafood to all the restaurants.

We ate our fish grilled or in Acqua Pazza, (literally "crazy water") a simple Neapolitan way of preparing fish. I recreated the dish when we got home so our thoughts could linger in Positano a little longer.

On another note, today is the one year anniversary of this blog so I thought I'd introduce myself a bit better if you've been following me. You may have seen photos of Roman on the blog as he's grown from 8 months to his present 19 months. Aside from documenting our second year in Rome, part of the fun of this blog is that it has been a collaboration. I cook and set up for the photos and my husband shoots them. He is rewarded for his time in good meals. We'll soon be leaving Italy but the blog will continue as we explore new vistas. Hope you'll stick around to see what we create.

Pesce all'Acqua Pazza

You can use any fish you like for this recipe, whole or in filet. I used Mediterranean sea bass.

I have chosen to list the ingredients without quantities for this recipe because you are entirely free to add as much or as little as you want, and make it to your taste.

Olive oil

Garlic

(Optional onion, carrot, celery)

Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half

White wine

Water

(Optional anchovy and/or capers)

Sauté the chopped garlic in olive oil and add the cherry tomato and other vegetables if using as well as an anchovy (optional) and let it dissolve with the vegetables. Add white wine and water, place your fish in the sauce, cover the pan and cook until the fish is done. At this point, remove the fish to a platter and continue to simmer the sauce uncovered to reduce it. Pour the sauce over the fish and serve. Crusty bread works well for mopping up the sauce.