Fish with a Side of Pasta
An easy, everyday dish! Pan-fried fish with a simple side is one of those lunch or dinner standbys that never gets old. It's popular for good reason: it comes together quickly, it's filling and tasty, and it's a great fit for a busy weeknight. Best of all, it reheats well the next day without losing any of its flavor.
Cooking method
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Step 1:
Gather your ingredients for the fried fish and side. You can use just about any fish for frying — some folks prefer freshwater, others like saltwater. Pollock is one of the most popular choices for pan-frying: it has very few bones and gives off almost no fishy smell while it cooks, which makes the whole job faster and easier.
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Step 2:
Rinse and clean the fish. If the pollock still has its head on, remove it. Cut the body into serving-size pieces, leaving the bones in. Rinse the pieces once more and pat them dry with paper towels.
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Step 3:
Put some all-purpose flour or breadcrumbs on a plate and dredge the fish on all sides — this gives the pieces a crisp, golden crust once they're fried. For a juicier, more tender coating, beat an egg and dip each piece in the egg first, then in the flour. Pour the vegetable oil into a skillet and set it over the heat. Once the oil is good and hot, lay the fish pieces in.
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Step 4:
Season the fish with salt and pepper right in the pan. Fry the pollock over high heat for about 5 minutes on the first side, until golden, then flip and brown the other side. Turn the heat down to medium, add just a splash of water to keep the fish from scorching, cover the skillet, and let it cook another 20 minutes or so. Take the lid off, give it a few more minutes uncovered, then turn off the heat.
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Step 5:
While the fish cooks, you can make the side at the same time. Pasta, rice, and mashed potatoes all pair beautifully with fried fish, but pasta is the quickest — about 10 minutes and you're done. Pour cold water into a saucepan, add a pinch of salt, and set it over the heat. Once it comes to a boil, drop in whatever pasta you like — spaghetti, elbows, shells, spirals, you name it.
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Step 6:
Give it a quick stir right away so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Bring it back to a boil, lower the heat, and cook over medium for about 7–10 minutes, depending on whether it's durum-wheat pasta and on the cook time listed on the package. Drain the pasta in a colander, rinse with cold water, and return it to the pot. Stir in a pat of butter and salt to taste.
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Step 7:
Serve the fish alongside the pasta. Enjoy!
Caloric content of the products possible in the composition of the dish
- Pasta, premium, fortified - 337 kcal/100g
- Pasta, premium, dairy - 309 kcal/100g
- Pasta, premium grade, egg - 342 kcal/100g
- Pasta made from flour of the 1st grade - 333 kcal/100g
- Pasta made of flour in /with - 338 kcal/100g
- Boiled pasta - 135 kcal/100g
- Pasta - 338 kcal/100g
- Boiled pollock - 79 kcal/100g
- Fresh pollock - 72 kcal/100g
- Ground black pepper - 255 kcal/100g
- Butter 82% - 734 kcal/100g
- Amateur unsalted butter - 709 kcal/100g
- Unsalted peasant butter - 661 kcal/100g
- Peasant salted butter - 652 kcal/100g
- Melted butter - 869 kcal/100g
- Vegetable oil - 873 kcal/100g
- Salt - 0 kcal/100g
- Water - 0 kcal/100g
- Breadcrumbs - 347 kcal/100g
