Menu
Branzino, Focaccia, and Pavlova Dinner
Whole roasted branzino with lemon and capers, lemon-roasted asparagus, stone-fruit burrata salad, rosemary-lemon focaccia, and raspberry-lemon pavlova.
Serves 2 | Time ~4 hrs (plus overnight focaccia dough and pavlova shell) | Oven 450°F / 425°F
On the menu
A Mediterranean-inspired dinner built around warm whole roasted branzino, rosemary-lemon focaccia, lemon-roasted asparagus, a stone-fruit burrata salad, and a raspberry-lemon pavlova. Written for 2 people, with the focaccia dough and pavlova shell made the day before.
Serves: 2 Total time: ~4 hrs day-of (2:30pm start for a 6:30pm dinner) Oven: 450°F for the focaccia, then 425°F for the branzino and asparagus
Menu
Shopping list (for 2)
Seafood
- 1 whole branzino, cleaned and scaled, about 1¼-1½ lb
Produce
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1 peach or nectarine
- 1 plum or 2 apricots
- 1 container raspberries
- Arugula, about 3 cups
- 1 small shallot
- 2 lemons
- 1 head garlic
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh thyme
- Fresh rosemary
- Fresh basil
Dairy / Refrigerated
- 1 ball burrata, 4-8 oz
- ½ cup very cold heavy whipping cream, plus a little extra in case the cream is overwhipped
Prepared Ahead
- 1 batch refrigerated focaccia dough
- 1 baked pavlova shell
Pantry
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- White wine, or water
- Capers
- Pistachios, about ¼ cup
- Lemon curd
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- White balsamic or Champagne vinegar
- Honey
- Fine sea salt
- Kosher salt
- Flaky salt
- Black pepper
Timeline for a 6:30pm dinner
| Time | Step |
|---|---|
| 2:30 | Transfer refrigerated focaccia dough to its oiled 9 × 13-inch pan; cover |
| 2:50 | Gently stretch the focaccia farther toward the corners; cover again |
| 3:10 | Give the focaccia its final gentle stretch; leave covered to rise |
| 3:20 | Toast, cool, chop, and divide the pistachios between salad and pavlova |
| 3:35 | Soak and dry the sliced shallot; make the salad dressing |
| 3:50 | Wash, dry, and trim the asparagus; leave it undressed |
| 4:00 | Wash and prepare the herbs, garlic, and lemons |
| 4:15 | Prepare raspberries, lemon curd, zest, nuts, and serving tools for the pavlova |
| 4:30 | Check the focaccia rise; move it somewhere gently warm if still tight |
| 4:35 | Preheat oven to 450°F |
| 4:45 | Whip the pavlova cream to medium-soft peaks; refrigerate |
| 4:55 | Make focaccia brine; dimple and top the dough; rest 15-20 min |
| 5:15 | Bake focaccia for 18-23 min |
| 5:20 | Wash and dry arugula; add basil and shallot; refrigerate undressed |
| About 5:35 | Remove focaccia; brush with oil and add lemon zest; cool uncovered |
| 5:40 | Lower oven to 425°F |
| 5:42 | Dry, score, season, stuff, and pan the branzino |
| 6:00 | Slice stone fruit; take burrata out of the refrigerator |
| 6:02 | Roast branzino; begin checking at 6:20 |
| 6:05 | Season asparagus with oil, salt, and pepper |
| 6:08 | Roast asparagus; begin checking at 6:17 |
| 6:10 | Arrange most of the salad, without burrata or dressing |
| 6:15 | Set the table and cut the focaccia |
| 6:17 | Finish asparagus with lemon and transfer to a serving plate |
| 6:20 | Check branzino for 145°F; finish the salad while it cooks |
| About 6:22-6:25 | Rest and finish the branzino; transfer to a warm platter |
| 6:25 | Bring dinner to the table |
| 6:30 | Serve dinner |
| After dinner | Fill the pavlova with cream, curd, berries, pistachios, and zest |
Pavlova setup before sitting down
Before dinner begins, confirm that the following are ready:
- Pavlova shell on or beside its serving platter
- Covered whipped cream in the refrigerator
- Covered lemon curd in the refrigerator
- Clean, completely dry raspberries in the refrigerator
- Chopped pistachios at room temperature
- Prepared lemon zest in the refrigerator
- Serving spoon and spatula beside the platter
- Dessert plates and forks ready
Do not top the pavlova before dinner. The cream and curd will soften the shell.
Notes
- The schedule assumes the focaccia dough and pavlova shell were prepared the day before.
- Keep the empty pavlova shell in a dry place at room temperature; do not refrigerate it.
- Leave the baked focaccia uncovered while hot so its crust does not steam and soften.
- Keep the prepared branzino at cool room temperature only during the final short prep window.
- Roast the branzino last so it reaches the table warm. Check the thickest flesh without touching bone; the target is 145°F.
- Dress the salad immediately before serving and assemble the pavlova only after dinner.
Source
Distilled from branzino_focaccia_pavlova_day_of_schedule.md