Brought to us courtesy of Homecooked, a community-supported recipe driven quarterly published in Oregon that “celebrates the profound connections between food, culture, and the human experience,” this dish has a story as rich as its flavor.
Issue 4 of Homecooked turns its focus to Michigan’s Fruit Ridge—a 158-square-mile area northwest of Grand Rapids known for its prime fruit-growing climate centered around Sparta that spans parts of Kent, Newaygo, Muskegon, and Ottawa counties—celebrating the people, flavors, and businesses that give the region its culinary character.
From The Cheese Lady, whose artisanal cheeses are a local treasure, to Pux Cider, crafting beverages with a sense of place, the authors highlight the stories behind the food and the people who make it. Surprisingly, the recipes from Fruit Ridge don’t all involve fruit. Some are savory, like this whitefish parmigiana with angel hair pasta, a rich and creamy dish with a golden, bubbling cheese topping, perfectly paired with tender pasta and fresh parsley for garnish.
RECIPE:
Feeds 4
Ingredients
2 pounds whitefish fillets
2 medium lemons
Kosher salt
Black pepper
3 cups finely shredded Parmigiano
Reggiano (only the real stuff, in a
block)
¾ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup crème fraîche
1 pound angel hair pasta
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Note: If you are unable to find whitefish, this recipe also works well with orange roughy, tilapia, flounder, or pollock.
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Rinse the whitefish in cold water and dry with a paper towel. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the fillets skin side down. (If fillets don’t have skin, place the side that formerly had skin down.) Squeeze juice from ½ of a lemon over the fillets and sprinkle moderately with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, mix 1¼ cups of Parmigiano with the mayonnaise, crème fraîche, and 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. Set aside.
Bake the fish for 15–20 minutes, or until it flakes easily and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. While the fish is baking, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
When the fish is done, remove it from the oven and set the oven to broil. Spread the cheese and mayonnaise mixture over the tops of the fish. Once the pot of water is boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions.
When the broiler is hot, slide the fish back in. Broil for about 2 minutes, or until the tops of the creamy mixture brown and bubble slightly (watch closely). Remove from the oven.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and mix with 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, ½ cup olive oil, 1 cup Parmigiano, and salt and pepper to taste.
Plate portions of pasta with about 8–10 ounces of whitefish (usually ½ of a fillet). Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley, and serve with the remaining Parmigiano.
