Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta and Fish
- 400 g spaghetti
- 300 g swordfish steak, skin removed, cut into 2cm cubes
Produce and Aromatics
- 200 g red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 15 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
Pantry Accents
- 40 g dried currants
- 30 g capers, drained and rinsed
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 60 ml dry white wine
- 5 g salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 g red pepper flakes
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 677 kcal
- Protein
- 29 g
- Carbohydrates
- 85 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 739 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 50 mg
- Potassium
- 756 mg
- Calcium
- 55 mg
- Iron
- 3.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 39 mg
- Phosphorus
- 398 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 122 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 71 mg
- Vitamin D
- 10.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 4.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 76 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.11 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.12 mg
- Niacin
- 6.6 mg
- Folate
- 33 mcg
- Water
- 128 g
- Alcohol
- 2 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the dried currants in a small bowl and cover with warm water. Let them soak and plump while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente.
In a large skillet, heat half of the extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced red bell peppers and saute until they begin to soften and develop slightly blistered edges.
Add the diced swordfish to the skillet. Sear the fish for 2 minutes until lightly golden on the outside, ensuring it reaches an internal temperature of 63 Celsius or 145 Fahrenheit. Stir in the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking until fragrant.
Drain the currants. Pour the dry white wine into the skillet to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the capers and plumped currants. Simmer until the wine reduces by half.
Reserve 120ml of starchy pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti. Add the pasta to the skillet along with the remaining olive oil and a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously with tongs over low heat to create a glossy sauce.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the chopped parsley, and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Portion into warmed bowls and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Swordfish is a dense, meaty fish that holds up perfectly to tossing with pasta, but it goes from perfectly moist to dry very quickly. Err on the side of slightly undercooking during the sear, as it will continue cooking when tossed with the hot pasta.
- The secret to a sauce without butter or heavy cream is the emulsion of starchy pasta water and quality olive oil. Vigorously tossing the pasta in the pan rather than just stirring is what creates that luxurious, creamy mouthfeel.
- Soaking currants before adding them to a hot pan prevents them from stealing moisture from your sauce and ensures they offer a soft, pleasant burst of sweetness rather than a chewy bite.
- Always reserve more pasta water than you think you need before draining. It acts as liquid gold for adjusting the consistency of the final dish right before serving.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store in an airtight container. Seafood dishes are best consumed as fresh as possible.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water and olive oil until just warmed through to prevent overcooking the fish.
Troubleshooting
Swordfish is dry, tough, or rubbery
Cause: The fish was seared too long or the pieces were cut too small and cooked through instantly
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Cut swordfish into uniform 2cm cubes and monitor closely, removing from heat right at 63 Celsius
Pasta sauce is watery and sits at the bottom of the bowl
Cause: Not enough vigorous tossing or too much pasta water added at once
Fix: Return to low heat and toss vigorously for another 60 seconds until the liquid binds to the pasta
Prevention: Add pasta water in small splashes and toss aggressively to encourage the starch to emulsify with the oil
Dish tastes flat or overly sweet
Cause: Imbalance of acidity and salt compared to the sweetness of the currants and peppers
Fix: Add a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice or an extra pinch of salt to balance the flavors
Prevention: Measure the capers accurately and ensure the pasta water is sufficiently salted
Cultural Context
This dish draws heavy inspiration from the culinary traditions of Sicily, where the combination of savory ingredients like capers or olives with sweet elements like raisins or currants is a signature flavor profile known as agrodolce. The island's historic position in the Mediterranean has led to a cuisine deeply influenced by both Italian and North African ingredients, resulting in dynamic, sweet-and-sour seafood dishes.
