Italian · Authentic-ish Italian
Branzino al Forno
349 kcal a serving, against 531 for the traditional version. That is 182 kcal off, or 34%, with 43.5g of protein. Serves 4. 45 minutes.
What the traditional version is
A whole sea bass baked over thinly sliced potatoes, cherry tomatoes and black olives, drenched in olive oil and dry white wine. It's a Mediterranean classic that relies entirely on good ingredients.
What changed, and what each change costs
800g of potatoes down to 400g
Potatoes soak up oil and add heavy starch to the plate. Cutting them in half strips out calories without ruining the meal. You still get the flavour, just in a smaller dose.
What it costs you. You get a thinner bed of vegetables under the seafood. It's less filling, but that's the price of a leaner plate. You'll miss the bulk if you have a massive appetite.
80ml of olive oil down to 20ml
Olive oil is pure fat. 80ml adds a huge amount of energy to the roasting tin. A quarter of that is enough to stop the potatoes sticking if you use a good non-stick tray.
What it costs you. The potatoes don't get that deep, fried crispness on the edges. They steam in the wine and tomato juice instead. What you've got is just different. A disaster is a different dish and you know where to find it. You lose the crunch.
A whole sea bass swapped for 800g of raw prawns
This is the first time in the book I swap out the main event. Prawns are pure lean muscle. Bumping the seafood weight up to 800g pushes the protein through the roof.
What it costs you. It changes the dish completely. You miss out on the sweet, flaky white fish, and you have to watch the timer like a hawk so the prawns don't go rubbery. A baked sea bass forgives a few extra minutes in the oven. Prawns absolutely don't.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 531 | 349 |
| Protein | 35.6g | 43.5g |
| Fat | 23.9g | 7.7g |
| Saturated fat | 3.6g | 1.2g |
| Carbohydrate | 42.1g | 23.8g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 6.7g | 12.5g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Italian prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. crustaceans, sulphites.
The method is in the book
Yes, changing the core ingredient is a massive liberty. But this hits the exact same notes of garlic, wine and roasted tomatoes, with a massive hit of protein from the prawns. It's sharp, fresh and keeps you full for hours. Sometimes you can't worry about authenticity when you need speed and results, and this traybake proves it.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Italian, along with 59 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.