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1
Preheat the oven to 250F.
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2
Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper and arrange the tomatoes, cut side up, on it. Place the 2 teaspoons salt in a small bowl, add the sugar, and stir. Sprinkle the mixture over the tomatoes. Add the basil leaves, rosemary, and thyme and bake until dry but not shriveled, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Raise the oven temperature to 400F.
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3
Coat 4 ovenproof terra-cotta or ceramic baking dishes (see Note), each wide and deep enough to hold one fish, with the wine and half the olive oil. Arrange the potato slices in them so they overlap. Place the tomatoes and sliced Pecorino Romano on top.
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4
In a bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, lemon zest, cayenne pepper, and dried oregano.
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5
Season the inside of the sea bream fillets with salt, black pepper, and fresh oregano. Place each half-fish on top of the other so the skin is facing outward, then place the fish on top of the potatoes and sprinkle both with the seasoned bread crumbs. Drizzle with the rest of the olive oil, sprinkle with the grated Pecorino Romano, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 15 minutes.
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6
Remove the foil and cook for about 10 more minutes, until the cheese on top is melted and the potatoes and fish are crispy. Serve each portion in its baking dish.
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7
VINO
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8
A young, fruity Vermentino from Cinque Terre, Liguria, will cut through the richness of the bream.
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9
NOTE:
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10
The individual baking dishes make a beautiful presentation. But if you don't have any, cook the entire dish in one large roasting pan, arranging the layers of potatoes, tomatoes, and cheese as indicate in the recipe, and top with the fillets in a single layer.
