Recipes › Seafood › Baked Trout Italian Recipe

Baked Trout Italian Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

This elegant Baked Trout Italian Recipe features fresh trout fillets seasoned with lemon, garlic, and aromatic herbs, then baked en papillote—in parchment paper—to seal in moisture and flavor. The result is delicate, perfectly cooked fish infused with Mediterranean aromatics and finished with a drizzle of quality olive oil. This restaurant-quality dish comes together in under 30 minutes and serves as a light, healthy centerpiece for any weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

• 4 whole trout fillets (150 g each), skin-on, patted dry
• 60 ml extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 lemons, 1 juiced, 1 sliced into thin rounds
• 8 fresh basil leaves
• 8 fresh parsley sprigs
• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 120 ml dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Tear off four 30 cm × 40 cm sheets of parchment paper and place on a work surface. Fold each sheet in half lengthwise, then unfold.

2. Pat trout fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and oregano. Divide the garlic slices evenly among the four parchment sheets, placing them slightly off-center on one half of each sheet.

3. Place one trout fillet skin-side down over the garlic on each parchment sheet. Top each fillet with 2 basil leaves, 2 parsley sprigs, and 6 cherry tomato halves.

4. Distribute the lemon juice evenly over the four fillets, then arrange lemon slices on top of each fillet. Pour 30 ml white wine around (not on) each fillet, and drizzle 15 ml olive oil over the herbs and tomatoes.

5. Fold the parchment sheet in half over the trout, aligning all edges. Fold the exposed edges over in tight, overlapping creases to seal the packet completely, leaving no openings.

6. Place all four sealed parchment packets on a large baking sheet. Bake for 16–18 minutes until the parchment puffs and turns light golden brown at the edges.

7. Remove from oven and let rest for 2 minutes. Carefully open each packet by cutting an X into the top with scissors or a knife, revealing the steaming trout inside. Drizzle the remaining 15 ml of olive oil over each fillet.

8. Transfer the trout and all accumulated broth to serving plates. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil and lemon wedges on the side.

Substitutions

• Substitute trout with sea bass or halibut fillets of the same weight and thickness.
• Replace white wine with vegetable or fish stock for a non-alcoholic version.
• Use dill or tarragon instead of basil for a different Mediterranean herb profile.
• Swap cherry tomatoes for thin zucchini slices if preferred.

Tips

• Ensure the parchment packets are completely sealed to trap steam; any gaps will allow moisture to escape and dry out the fish.
• Do not open the packets before the 16-minute mark, as early opening releases steam and increases cooking time.
• The fish is done when the flesh is opaque and flakes easily; the residual heat inside the sealed packet continues gentle cooking even after removal from the oven.
• For a deeper flavor, make a small compound butter with garlic, lemon zest, and parsley, and place a dollop inside each packet before sealing.

Cooking en papillote is a classic French technique that became embraced throughout Italy during the Renaissance and Baroque periods, blending Northern European and Mediterranean culinary traditions. This method epitomizes modern Italian cooking philosophy: minimal ingredients, respect for the ingredient itself, and elegant simplicity.

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