Wild Alaskan Pollock & Fettuccine

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the stems of the peppers; remove and discard the cores. Thinly slice the peppers crosswise into rings. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice, separating the white bottoms and green tops. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Place the tomatoes in a bowl and gently break apart with your hands. Halve the rolls. Roughly chop the parsley leaves and stems.

Pat the fish dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Working in batches if necessary, add the seasoned fish; cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a bowl. Using two forks, flake into large pieces.

To the pan of fond, add the sliced peppers and white bottoms of the scallions, capers, and half the chopped garlic. Season with salt and pepper. If the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil. Cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the verjus (carefully, as the liquid may splatter), half the Italian seasoning, and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until combined. Add the tomatoes; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 6 to 7 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Add the flaked fish and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until combined and the fish is cooked through. Turn off the heat.

While the sauce cooks, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Turn off the heat. Reserving ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

While the pasta cooks, line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Place the rolls on the foil, cut side up. Evenly top with the cheese, remaining Italian seasoning, and remaining chopped garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, or until lightly browned and slightly crispy. Remove from the oven.

Add the finished fish and sauce to the pot of cooked pasta; drizzle with olive oil. Cook on medium-high, stirring vigorously, 1 to 2 minutes, or until combined. If the pasta seems dry, gradually add the reserved pasta cooking water to achieve your desired sauce consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the finished pasta garnished with the chopped parsley and sliced green tops of the scallions. Serve with the garlic bread on the side. Enjoy!