MARCH FAST

Trout with white wine and rosemary

SERVES 4

“Basting with white wine during cooking stops the trout from drying out,” says Giovanni Pilu. “Serve with a simple salad or grilled vegetables on the side.”

4 rainbow trout (300gm each), cleaned
1 spring onion, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
2 rosemary sprigs, leaves finely chopped
20 green Sicilian olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
4 fresh bay leaves
250 ml dry white wine
2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley Lemon cheeks, and witlof and parsley salad, to serve

1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Wash trout inside and out, then pat dry with paper towel. Score on top side with 4 diagonal cuts through to the bone, angled towards the tail.

Place trout, scored-side up, on a baking tray. Scatter onion, garlic, rosemary and olives over trout and place a bay leaf on each trout. Pour over wine, sprinkle with parsley and season to taste. Roast trout, basting well at least every 10 minutes, until just cooked through (20-30 minutes). Check flesh inside the score at the thickest part of the fish; it should be just opaque all the way to the