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Fish, Italy

Neapolitan style hake with steamed potatoes

Neapolitan style hake is a fish dish simmered with cherry tomatoes, black olives and capers, served with steamed potatoes. It serves 4, takes 35 minutes, is rated easy, and costs about €3.90 per person. The key is letting the tomatoes soften into a light sauce and rinsing the capers well to control the salt.

I'm suggesting Neapolitan style hake, simmered with cherry tomatoes, olives and capers, served with steamed potatoes for dipping.

Neapolitan style hake with steamed potatoes
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.90
Calories per person
550 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring

The Neapolitan style sauce brings instant warmth to the plate, with cherry tomatoes that melt down gently, black olives that season without overpowering the fish, and capers that add a sharp little kick. Hake is delicate and easy to eat, soaking up these flavors in just minutes, so the flesh pulls apart into tender, white flakes.

This is a solid pick for a weeknight when you want something light but full of flavor, and it works just as well for a weekend meal if you're having friends over who enjoy fish. The steamed potatoes stay plain and simple on purpose, so there's always something nearby to soak up every bit of sauce.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Hake fillets 4

Fruits and vegetables

  • Cherry tomatoes 400 g
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Fresh basil 1 sprigs
  • Potatoes 800 g

Pantry

  • Pitted black olives 100 g
  • Capers 2 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Fish

The step by step recipe

  1. Peel the potatoes, cut them into large chunks and steam them. 25 min

    Steaming keeps their flavor, they don't soak up extra water.

  2. Heat the oil with the crushed garlic, add the halved cherry tomatoes and let them soften. 8 min

    Mash a few with a fork to make the sauce thicker.

  3. Add the olives and rinsed capers, then place the hake fillets in the sauce.

    Rinse the capers well, they're often very salty.

  4. Cover and let the fish cook gently. 10 min

    The hake is done when it flakes into white pieces.

  5. Sprinkle with torn basil and serve with the potatoes.

    Spoon some sauce over the potatoes, it's the best part of the dish.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick cherry tomatoes that are ripe and sweet, since they're doing most of the work in a quick sauce like this one.
  • Don't let the hake boil, a gentle covered simmer keeps the flesh tender and stops it from falling apart too much.
  • Make the tomato sauce a bit ahead of time if you want to save a few minutes, it actually tastes better after resting briefly.

The variations

  • Swap the hake for cod or monkfish, two white fish that hold up well to the same gentle simmer.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the fish and add rinsed chickpeas at the same time as the olives.
  • For a faster version, use canned crushed tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes, the sauce comes together in less time.

What to serve it with

  • A lemony green salad
  • Crusty bread for dipping
  • A glass of dry white wine

Storage

Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days, since cooked fish doesn't keep long. Reheat gently in a pan or covered in the microwave, without letting it boil so the flesh doesn't toughen. Freezing isn't recommended, cooked hake loses its texture once thawed.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the Neapolitan sauce ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the tomato sauce with olives and capers a few hours ahead and keep it in the fridge. Just reheat it gently and add the fish right before serving.

What fish works well instead of hake?

Cod, monkfish or pollock all work well, since they're firm white fish. Just adjust the cooking time based on how thick the fillets are.

Do you need to rinse the olives or capers before using them?

Capers should always get a quick rinse under water to remove excess salt. Pitted black olives usually don't need rinsing, but taste the sauce before adding any salt.

Can the potatoes be cooked another way instead of steaming?

Yes, you can boil them in salted water, though the result will be slightly wetter. Steaming is still better since it keeps their texture and flavor intact.

How long does it take to make a Neapolitan style hake with steamed potatoes?

Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a Neapolitan style hake with steamed potatoes?

About 550 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Neapolitan style hake with steamed potatoes cost?

About €3.90 per serving, or €15.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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