Levantine cuisine · Fish & Seafood

Samak Filfilieh

Fish pieces in a thick sauce of braised bell peppers, tomatoes, and Aleppo chili with garlic.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 700 g cod fillet
• 3 red bell peppers
• 4 tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 onions
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp Aleppo chili flakes
• 1 tsp cumin (ground)
• 1 lemon
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Cut the fish into 5 cm pieces, salt, drizzle with the juice of half a lemon, and chill until needed.
2. Seed the bell peppers and cut into 2 cm wide strips, cut the onions into half-rings, slice the garlic, and peel and dice the tomatoes.
3. Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan, braise the peppers and onions over medium heat for 8–10 min, until the strips are soft and show dark spots at the edges.
4. Add garlic, Aleppo chili flakes, cumin, and tomato paste, toast for 1 min, then pour in the tomatoes and 150 ml water and simmer uncovered for 12 min, until the sauce clings thickly to a spoon.
5. Nestle the fish pieces into the sauce, coat with a little sauce, and let simmer covered over low heat for 8–10 min without stirring.
6. Season with the remaining olive oil, pepper, and the juice of the second lemon half, and bring straight to the table in the pan with rice or bread.