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Whole rombo al forno in a terracotta dish with cherry tomatoes, capers, and fresh parsley on a linen cloth

Rombo al Forno (Italian Baked Turbot)

Whole turbot roasted Italian-style with white wine, capers, cherry tomatoes, and olive oil. Serves 4 in 40 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 310
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1, approx 1.3 kg whole turbot (rombo), gutted and scaled ask the fishmonger to gut and scale it
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 120 ml dry white wine Vermentino or Pinot Grigio
  • 200 g cherry tomatoes halved
  • 2 tbsp capers in brine drained and rinsed
  • 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped, divided
  • 1 lemon half sliced for the cavity, half for serving
  • 1.5 tsp fine sea salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 200 C / 390 F. Take the turbot out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking.
  2. Pat the fish dry on both sides with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, score it 3-4 times on each side at an angle, cutting through the skin and down to the bone.
  3. Season the fish inside and out with salt and pepper. Tuck a few lemon slices and half the parsley inside the cavity.
  4. Brush the roasting pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Scatter the sliced garlic, cherry tomatoes, and capers across the base of the pan.
  5. Lay the turbot on top of the aromatics. Drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the fish, pressing it lightly into the scored cuts.
  6. Roast for 10 minutes. Pull the pan out and pour the white wine around (not over) the fish, then return to the oven.
  7. Continue roasting for 13-15 minutes more, until the skin is lightly golden and the dorsal fin pulls away cleanly. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the backbone should read 58-60 C / 136-140 F.
  8. Rest the fish in the pan for 3 minutes. Scatter the remaining fresh parsley over the top and serve directly from the roasting pan with lemon wedges alongside.

Notes

If the skin starts browning too fast before the fish is cooked through, lay a sheet of foil loosely over the top for the last 5 minutes without sealing the pan.