Swordfish Involtini Alla Siciliana (adapted From The Babbo Cook

basic tomato sauce, and then it's laden with olives, capers, red pepper flakes, pine nuts, currants and white wine. Into the braising pan the sauce goes, followed by Swordfish fillets topped with a yummy herb/bread crumb mixture. The whole thing gets baked together, and then served with the sauce ladled on top of the fish.Holy cow! This sauce is something to write home about! The combination of briny capers and olives, spicy chili flakes, sweet currants and rich pine nuts sets off a chain reaction of flavor that will have you licking your bowl. The Swordfish with the bread crumbs is also fabulously moist and meaty, and goes amazing with the sauce. I've since made this dish several times, and it's quickly becoming one of my favorite household staples.Swordfish Involtini Alla Siciliana (Adapted From The Babbo Cookbook)

Serves 4 people

Cooking time: about 1 hour (including making basic tomato sauce)Ingredients1 1/2 cups basic tomato sauce (see below)4 swordfish fillets (totaling about 1 1/2 pounds)4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1/2 cup Gaeta olives1/4 cup salt-packed capers, rinsed and drained1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes2 tablespoons pine nuts1/4 cup currants1 cup dry white wine1 cup fresh bread crumbs1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, choppedsalt & pepperbasic tomato sauce (makes 4 cups)1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil1 Spanish onion, finely diced4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced3 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried thyme1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded2 28 ounce cans peeled whole tomatoessalt

To make the basic tomato sauce, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened (8-10 minutes).

Add the thyme and carrot and cook for 5 minutes, until carrot is very soft. Crush the tomatoes with your hands (I love this part!) and add them and their juices. Bring to a boil, stirring often, and then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt. This sauce keeps for 1 week in the fridge and 6 months in the freezer.To make the swordfish, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.In an oven-proof skillet or braising pan, combine 1 1/2 cups of the basic tomato sauce with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the olives, the capers, the red pepper flakes, the pines nuts, the currants and the wine. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then remove from heat and set aside.Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.Rinse the fish and pat dry. Season each piece with salt and pepper.

Place each piece of fish in the oven-proof skillet and top with a heaping spoonful of the breadcrumb mixture.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until each piece is cooked through.To plate, place a piece of fish on a plate and spoons the sauce over it. Enjoy!Source For Ingredientswild-caught swordfish, organic onion, organic garlic, organic carrot, organic thyme, organic flat-leaf parsley and local Mission olive oil from The Hollywood Farmers Marketorganic whole-peeled tomatoes, olives, capers, red pepper flakes, pine nuts, currants and Ezekiel bread (for making bread crumbs) from Whole Foods

Cookbook

The Babbo Cookbook by Mario Batali

This is hands down, my favorite recent cookbook purchase. Inspired by a trip to Osteria Mozza and at the urging of my Top Chef Brother, I purchased it along with my pasta attachments for my stand mixer. Since then, I've been cooking up a storm and loving ever minute of it! This is exciting food bursting with flavor and made accessible to the home cook. I gave it to my mother, The Original Diva, for Chrismtas, and she loves it, too. I may not be able to afford to eat at Osteria Mozza every day - but now I can bring the Osteria to my house.