Pan seared Tilapia OMENA PUTTANESCA over MATOKE GNOCCHI
Author: Kiran Jethwa
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
The classic Italian Putanesca sauce through which I toss Lake Victoria White Bait, or Omena and serve it over gnocchi with a twist made from Matoke, Ugandans national staple, a savoury banana.
Ingredients
- Ingredients for gnocchi
- 500 g Potatoes
- 500g Matoke/ Plantains
- 2 Egg
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
- 200 g Plain Flour
- Ingredients for Puttanesca Sauce
- 1 large Tin tomatoes
- 1 Carrot
- 1 White onion
- ½ Head of celery
- 2 tsp Sugar
- 2 tbsp Carpers
- 4 tbsp Calamata Olives
- 1 tbsp Fresh green chilli
- 4 tbsp Crushed Garlic
- Spalsh of White wine
- 50 g of Omena or white bait
- Olive oil for cooking
- 1 Bunch fresh parsley chopped
- 1 Bunch fresh basil chopped
- Ingredients for the Tilapia fillet
- 800 g of Tilapia Fillets
- Salt
- Pepper
- 100 g Butter
- 100 ml White wine
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at about 200 degrees centigrade
- Boil the matoke for about 45 minutes, put them back on the heat in a dry pan to dry and get the moisture out as much as possible. Then mash.
- Steam the potatoes for 25 minutes, then mash them.
- In one bowl combine one to one matoke and mashed potatoes, add a little bit of salt, pepper and egg, and mix till nice and smooth.
- Add the flour to the mixture and knead it to the right consistency.
- Dust the board with flour and place the dough on it. Form a long sausage like shape with the dough and with the back of a fork, press and cut. Repeat this procedure to create all the pieces of the gnocchi.
- Place the pressed and cut dough on a plate and let it rest in the fridge for a short while.
- To make the tomoto concasse; sweat the finely chopped carrots onions and celery in a pan with some olive oil till soft.
- Add the tinned tomatoes and cook thoroughly for 20 minutes. Add some sugar and salt to taste.
- To make the Puttanesca add some olive oil in a pan.
- Add garlic and the green chilies. As the garlic starts to brown add the olives and capers, then a splash of white wine.
- Add the tomato concasse, a handful of omena, the roughly chopped parsley and basil and mix it together. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Season the tilapia with salt and pepper.
- Heat some butter in a pan and fry the tilapia. Add a splash of white wine and place it in the oven at about 200 degrees centigrade for 3 or 4 minutes.
- To finish put the gnocchi in a pot of boiling water. As soon as it starts to rise to the surface take them out.
- Place the Puttanesca sauce back on the heat and add the boiled gnocchi, mix it together and it’s ready.
- To serve, start by placing the gnocchi on the plate followed by the Puttanesca. Then place tilapia fillet on top.
