Chitarra With Sea Bass, White Wine, Chilli, Garlic And Cherry Tomatoes Recipe

Boil pasta water

Bring a large pot (at least 5–6 liters) of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons of fine sea salt.

Cook chitarra

Add 400 g chitarra to the boiling water and cook until just al dente according to package instructions (usually 8–10 minutes for fresh, 9–11 for dried). Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta quickly and set aside.

Prepare the sea bass

Pat the 600 g sea bass fillets dry with paper towel. Lightly season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. If fillets are large, cut into 3–4 cm chunks for even cooking and easy tossing with pasta.

Sear the fish

Heat a large wide frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. When oil is shimmering, place the sea bass skin-side down and cook without moving for 2–3 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden. Flip and cook the flesh side 1–2 minutes until just cooked through (it will remain moist). Transfer fish to a plate and keep warm. Leave any oil and browned bits in the pan.

Sweat garlic & chilli

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tbs olive oil to the pan if needed. Add 4 thinly sliced garlic cloves and the thinly sliced fresh red chilli (or 1 tsp dried flakes). Cook gently for 1–1.5 minutes, stirring, until garlic is fragrant and just beginning to colour—do not burn.

Add tomatoes

Add 400 g halved cherry tomatoes and 1 tbs rinsed capers (if using). Increase heat to medium-high and sauté for 3–4 minutes until tomatoes start to soften and release juices but still hold some shape.

Deglaze with wine

Pour in 150 ml dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes, concentrating the flavor.

Build the sauce

Add 1 tsp lemon zest, remaining 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp salt to the pan. Stir, then add 20 g butter (optional) and stir until melted and incorporated to give a glossy finish. If the sauce seems too tight, add 2–4 tablespoons of reserved pasta water to loosen.

Return fish to pan

Gently nestle the seared sea bass pieces back into the sauce to rewarm for 1 minute, spooning sauce over the fish to coat. Break the fish into bite-sized flakes with a spoon if desired, making it easier to mix with pasta.

Toss pasta and finish

Add the drained chitarra directly into the pan with the sauce. Toss gently to combine, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time (up to 1/2 cup / 120 ml) until the sauce clings to the pasta and the consistency is silky. Stir in 30 g chopped flat-leaf parsley and 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil.

Plate and garnish

Divide the pasta among warmed plates. Spoon any remaining fish and sauce over each portion. Garnish with 10 g roughly chopped parsley leaves, an extra drizzle of olive oil, and lemon wedges on the side. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.

Serve

Serve immediately while hot. Recommend a chilled dry white wine from Campania or light-bodied Vermentino.