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Sicilian swordfish rolls in tomato sauce with green olives, capers, and parsley in a white ceramic dish

Sicilian Swordfish Rolls (Involtini di Pesce Spada)

Thin swordfish slices rolled around a Sicilian breadcrumb filling with pine nuts, raisins, and capers, pan-seared and finished in a simple tomato sauce.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 390
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the filling
  • 60 g fresh breadcrumbs (from day-old white bread) about 1 cup, loosely packed
  • 3 tbsp olive oil divided
  • 30 g pine nuts toasted
  • 30 g raisins soaked in warm water 10 min, drained
  • 2 tbsp salted capers rinsed and roughly chopped
  • 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tsp lemon zest from 1 unwaxed lemon
  • 25 g pecorino or parmesan finely grated
  • to taste salt and black pepper
For the rolls and sauce
  • 600 g swordfish steaks sliced 5 mm thin, about 8 slices
  • 2 tbsp olive oil for searing
  • 2 cloves garlic lightly crushed
  • 60 ml dry white wine about 1/4 cup
  • 400 g canned crushed tomatoes 1 standard can
  • 50 g pitted green olives roughly chopped
  • to taste salt and black pepper
  • small handful fresh parsley or basil to finish

Method
 

Make the filling
  1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and stir for 3-4 minutes until golden and crisp. Transfer to a bowl.
  2. Add the toasted pine nuts, drained raisins, chopped capers, parsley, minced garlic, lemon zest, and grated pecorino to the breadcrumbs.
  3. Drizzle in the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and mix well. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. The filling should taste savory, slightly sweet, and a little briny.
Roll the fish
  1. Lay a swordfish slice flat on a cutting board. Place a sheet of cling film on top and pound gently with a meat mallet or rolling pin until 4-5 mm thick and even.
  2. Spoon about 1 heaped tbsp of filling onto the lower third of the slice. Press gently to compact it.
  3. Roll the fish firmly away from you, tucking in the sides as you go. Secure with two toothpicks, one near each end. Repeat with all slices.
Sear and simmer
  1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crushed garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until pale gold, then remove.
  2. Add the rolls seam-side down and sear for 2 minutes until lightly browned. Turn them gently with tongs to brown the other side, about 1-2 minutes more.
  3. Pour in the white wine and let it reduce for 1 minute, scraping up any bits from the pan.
  4. Add the crushed tomatoes and chopped olives. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
  5. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer for 8 minutes until the fish is opaque all the way through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
  6. Remove toothpicks. Scatter fresh parsley or basil over the top and serve immediately with the sauce spooned over.

Notes

If your fishmonger can't slice the swordfish thin, buy two thicker steaks and carefully butterfly-slice each one yourself with a sharp, flexible knife. Chilling the fish for 20 minutes before slicing makes it much easier to cut evenly.