800 g (approx. 1.75 lbs) sea bream (1 or 2 fish, depending on weight)
300 g (approx. 10.5 oz) cherry tomatoes
1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 glass water
1/2 glass dry white wine
Instructions
First, prepare and clean the sea bream. Scale the fish, then trim off the pectoral, dorsal, and ventral fins (leave the tail fin intact, as you will use it later to check doneness). Cut an incision along the belly and remove the entrails.
Rinse the sea bream thoroughly under cold running water, ensuring the inner cavity is completely clean.
Season the inside of the belly with a pinch of salt, one peeled clove of garlic, and a few parsley leaves.
Take a baking dish (or roasting pan) and drizzle the bottom with extra virgin olive oil. Lay the sea bream in the dish. Cut the cherry tomatoes into wedges or cubes and scatter them around the fish along with the remaining garlic cloves (thinly sliced), whole parsley leaves, salt, and black pepper (or fresh chili pepper, if preferred). Pour in the water and white wine; the liquid should not submerge the fish entirely, but should reach just below the halfway mark up the side of the fish.
Bake in a preheated oven at 220°C (425°F) for about 20 to 25 minutes.
To verify that the fish is fully cooked, gently pull on the tail fin: if it detaches easily, the sea bream is done; if there is resistance, return the fish to the oven for a few more minutes.
Once cooked, remove the dish from the oven. Transfer the sea bream to a plate, peel away the skin, remove the head, and fillet the fish, carefully discarding the central spine and pin bones. Place the resulting fillets onto a serving platter, spoon the pan juices and stewed tomatoes generously over the top, and serve immediately.
