Capellini Cooked in Red-Mullet Stew

• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots
• 1 small leek, white and light-green parts only, trimmed, cleaned, and sliced thin (about 1/2 cup) (see page 80)
• 1/3 cup finely chopped celery (with leaves)
• 1 pound skin-on red-mullet or red-snapper fillets
• 2 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped fresh tomatoes (from about 1 1/4 pounds) (see page 9)
• 2 whole dried peperoncini (hot red peppers)
• 1 quart hot water
• 1 pound capellini (angel-hair pasta)
• 1/3 cup shredded fresh basil
• Salt

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a wide 4-quart braising pan over medium heat.
2. Stir in the shallots, leek, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 2 minutes.
3. Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan to make enough room for the fillets.
4. Slip the fillets into the pan, skin side down, and cook until the skin changes color, about 2 minutes.
5. Flip the fillets over, cook 2 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes and peperoncini.
6. Bring to a quick boil, stirring, and pour in 3 cups of the hot water.
7. Add the capellini to the pan gradually, stirring them constantly to separate them.
8. (This will become easier as they soften and start to bend.)
9. Dont worry if you break up the fillets as you stir the pasta.
10. Add the remaining water a little at a time as the capellini begin to absorb the liquid in the pan.
11. The goal is to end up with just enough sauce to coat the pasta generouslynot a soupy dishso be careful to add liquid very gradually.
12. Cook, stirring almost constantly to keep the pasta from sticking together, until the pasta is done and glides easily in a creamy sauce, about 5 to 7 minutes.
13. A minute or two before the end of cooking, stir in the basil and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
14. Check the seasoning, adding salt if necessary.
15. Remove the peperoncini peppers and serve the pasta immediately in warm bowls.

extravirgin olive oil, shallots, only, celery, redmullet, tomatoes, peperoncini, water, capellini, fresh basil, salt

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/capellini-cooked-in-red-mullet-stew-375107 (may not work)