Opah Bolognese

Ingredients

• To tastePasta or gnocchi
• 3 tbsp (45 ml)Olive oil
• 1Onion, diced
• 1Celery stalk, diced
• 1Carrot, peeled and finely diced
• 454 gOpah abductor muscle, ground
• 240 ml (1 cup)Dry white wine
• 1Bay leaf
• 240 ml (1 cup)Milk
• 1/4 tsp (about 1.25 ml)Ground nutmeg
• 3 tbsp (about 45 g)Tomato paste
• 397 gCrushed San Marzano tomatoes
• To tasteKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp (about 43 g)Unsalted butter
• To tasteGrated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions

1. 1

   Soften vegetables

   Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrot with a pinch of salt. Cook for about 8 minutes, until soft and translucent but not browned.

2. 2

   Cook the opah

   Raise the heat to medium-high, add a little more olive oil and the ground opah. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, then break up any large pieces with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through and no longer red.

3. 3

   Reduce the wine

   Add the wine and bay leaf, then lower the heat to medium. Cook until most of the wine has evaporated.

4. 4

   Add the milk

   Pour in the milk and cook until most of it has evaporated. Stir in the ground nutmeg.

5. 5

   Cook the paste

   Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

6. 6

   Add tomatoes

   Stir in the crushed tomatoes.

7. 7

   Simmer the sauce

   Once the sauce reaches a simmer, turn the heat down to very low. Cook uncovered for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced and the sauce is thick.

8. 8

   Check seasoning

   Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper if needed. Set it aside or refrigerate it until you are ready to serve.

9. 9

   Finish with pasta

   Before serving, transfer the sauce to a 12-inch skillet and warm it through. Swirl in 3 tablespoons of butter, then add al dente cooked pasta and stir to coat. Cook for about 3 more minutes; if the sauce is too thick, loosen it with a little reserved pasta water.

10. 10

    Serve with cheese

    Serve with plenty of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

What is opah Bolognese?

Bolognese is a slow-cooked Italian-style ragù, usually served with pasta. This version swaps the more familiar meat for opah, also known as moonfish, and builds a rich sauce with vegetables, wine, milk and tomato.

The gentle simmer gives the fish and tomato time to come together, while butter stirred in at the end gives the sauce a smooth finish.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 650 calories, 37g protein, 71g carbs, 22g fat.

Most of the carbohydrates come from the pasta or gnocchi, while the opah provides much of the protein. Olive oil, butter, milk and cheese contribute much of the fat; the exact balance depends on how much pasta and cheese you serve. Pair a moderate serving with a generous green salad or vegetables for a more balanced plate.

Build the vegetable base

Soffritto: onion, celery and carrot form the aromatic foundation of the sauce. Dice them finely so they soften evenly and blend into the finished ragù.

Gentle heat: cook the vegetables until soft and translucent, not browned. This gives them time to sweeten without adding a toasted flavour.

Cook the opah carefully

Break it up: use the back of a wooden spoon to separate large pieces as the fish cooks. Aim for small, even pieces throughout the sauce.

Doneness: the method calls for cooking the opah until it is just cooked through and no longer red, around 4 to 5 minutes. It will continue to cook gently later in the sauce.

Reduce before adding tomatoes

Wine first: simmer the wine until most of it has evaporated before adding the milk. This keeps the sauce from carrying excess liquid into its long simmer.

Milk next: let the milk reduce too, then stir in the nutmeg. Cooking the tomato paste briefly before adding crushed tomatoes helps it blend into the sauce.

Let the sauce thicken slowly

Low and uncovered: keep the sauce at a very gentle simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally, especially around the base of the pot, so the thickening sauce does not catch.

Texture cue: the sauce is ready when the liquid has reduced and it looks thick rather than watery. If making it ahead, set it aside or refrigerate it before the final pasta step.

Finish with pasta and butter

Pasta water: warm the sauce in a skillet, add the butter, then toss in al dente cooked pasta. A splash of reserved cooking water can loosen a sauce that has become too thick.

Cheese: finish with plenty of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. The recipe also works with gnocchi, as suggested in the ingredient list.

What to serve alongside

A green salad or simply dressed vegetables make a fresh contrast to the rich, slow-cooked sauce. Serve the pasta hot, with extra grated cheese at the table.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the vegetables finely diced so they soften evenly during the initial cooking.
• Add the wine and milk in sequence, allowing most of each to evaporate before moving on.
• Maintain a very low simmer during the long reduction and stir the sauce occasionally.
• Cook the pasta until al dente before tossing it with the sauce.
• Reserve some pasta water before draining so you can loosen the sauce if needed.
• Grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano just before serving for the freshest finish.

Variations

• Use gnocchi: toss cooked gnocchi with the warmed sauce in place of pasta.
• Adjust the wine: use another dry white wine in place of the one listed.
• Add herbs: finish with a little fresh parsley for a fresh herbal note.
• Make it tomato-forward: add a little extra crushed tomato and allow it time to reduce.
• Change the cheese: serve with another hard, finely grated Italian-style cheese if needed.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Browning the vegetables: keep the heat moderate and stop when they are soft and translucent.
• Leaving large fish pieces: break them up with the wooden spoon as the opah cooks.
• Rushing the reductions: let most of the wine and milk evaporate before adding the next ingredient.
• Boiling the sauce hard: lower the heat to very low once it simmers so it thickens gently.
• Overcooking the pasta: cook it al dente, then finish it in the sauce for about 3 minutes.
• Adding too much pasta water: loosen the sauce a little at a time until it coats the pasta.

How to store

Cool leftover sauce promptly, refrigerate it in a covered container and use within 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan until hot throughout; add a splash of water if it has thickened. Store cooked pasta separately where possible and combine it with the sauce when reheating.

Frequently asked questions