Name: Cappon magro
Prep time: 65 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 385 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 600 g European sea-bass fillets (Raw fillet weight, with skin; check for pin bones.); 400 g Octopus (Raw cleaned weight; cook before slicing.); 300 g Prawns (mazzancolle) (Reserve 6 cooked prawns for the garnish, peeling their bodies and leaving the tails.); 300 g Potato (Peel and slice 5 mm thick.); 200 g Carrot (Peel and slice 3 mm thick.); 150 g Green beans (Trim and cut into 3 cm lengths.); 200 g Cauliflower (Prepared floret weight.); 150 g Artichoke (Prepared raw heart weight; quarter.); 200 g Red beetroot (Peel and slice 3 mm thick; cook separately.); 120 g Genoese sailor’s biscuits (For the base layer; break to fit the bowl.); 20 g Stale white bread (Crust removed; for the sauce.); 2 pieces Eggs (Hard-boil; put the yolks in the sauce and reserve the whites for garnish.); 40 g Flat-leaf parsley (For the green sauce.); 20 g Salt-packed anchovies (Rinse, remove bones and use the fillets in the sauce.); 15 g Capers (Rinse and drain well.); 20 g Pine nuts (For the sauce.); 40 g Green olives (Drained weight: 20 g for the sauce and 20 g for garnish.); 2 cloves Garlic (1 clove for the sauce; halve the other to rub the biscuits.); 150 ml Extra-virgin olive oil (100 ml for the sauce, 30 ml for vegetables and 20 ml for fish.); 70 ml White wine vinegar (40 ml for sauce, 20 ml for vegetables and 10 ml for biscuits.); 20 g Salt (12 g for vegetable water, 6 g for fish water and 2 g for dressing.); 5,600 ml Water (1 litre octopus; 1.5 litres vegetables; 2 litres fish; 500 ml beetroot; 500 ml eggs; 100 ml biscuits. Cooking liquids are drained.)

Use a deep bowl with a capacity of at least 4 litres. Keep each cooked ingredient separate until assembly.

Make ahead Assemble and refrigerate for four hours before serving; add the reserved garnish at the table.

By Italia Magnifica · Updated October 2026

Prep: 1 hr 5 min
Cook: 1 hr 20 min
Rest: 4 hr
Serves: 6
Difficulty: Medium

Cappon magro

Prep 1 hr 5 min · Cook 1 hr 20 min · Rest 4 hr · Serves 6 · Difficulty Medium

Ingredients

Skip to the method

6 servings

600 g1¼ lb
European sea-bass filletsRaw fillet weight, with skin; check for pin bones.Raw fillet weight, with skin; check for pin bones.
400 g14 oz
OctopusRaw cleaned weight; cook before slicing.Raw cleaned weight; cook before slicing.
300 g10½ oz
Prawns (mazzancolle)Reserve 6 cooked prawns for the garnish, peeling their bodies and leaving the tails.Reserve 6 cooked prawns for the garnish, peeling their bodies and leaving the tails.
300 g10½ oz
PotatoPeel and slice 5 mm thick.Peel and slice ¼ in thick.
200 g7 oz
CarrotPeel and slice 3 mm thick.Peel and slice 3 mm thick.
150 g5½ oz
Green beansTrim and cut into 3 cm lengths.Trim and cut into 1¼ in lengths.
200 g7 oz
CauliflowerPrepared floret weight.Prepared floret weight.
150 g5½ oz
ArtichokePrepared raw heart weight; quarter.Prepared raw heart weight; quarter.
200 g7 oz
Red beetrootPeel and slice 3 mm thick; cook separately.Peel and slice 3 mm thick; cook separately.
120 g4 oz
Genoese sailor’s biscuitsFor the base layer; break to fit the bowl.For the base layer; break to fit the bowl.
20 g¾ oz
Stale white breadCrust removed; for the sauce.Crust removed; for the sauce.
2 pieces2 pieces
EggsHard-boil; put the yolks in the sauce and reserve the whites for garnish.Hard-boil; put the yolks in the sauce and reserve the whites for garnish.
40 g1½ oz
Flat-leaf parsleyFor the green sauce.For the green sauce.
20 g1 tbsp
Salt-packed anchoviesRinse, remove bones and use the fillets in the sauce.Rinse, remove bones and use the fillets in the sauce.
15 g½ oz
CapersRinse and drain well.Rinse and drain well.
20 g¾ oz
Pine nutsFor the sauce.For the sauce.
40 g1½ oz
Green olivesDrained weight: 20 g for the sauce and 20 g for garnish.Drained weight: ¾ oz for the sauce and ¾ oz for garnish.
2 cloves2 cloves
Garlic1 clove for the sauce; halve the other to rub the biscuits.1 clove for the sauce; halve the other to rub the biscuits.
150 ml⅔ cup
Extra-virgin olive oil100 ml for the sauce, 30 ml for vegetables and 20 ml for fish.½ cup for the sauce, 2 tbsp for vegetables and 1¼ tbsp for fish.
70 ml⅓ cup
White wine vinegar40 ml for sauce, 20 ml for vegetables and 10 ml for biscuits.2¾ tbsp for sauce, 1¼ tbsp for vegetables and 2 tsp for biscuits.
20 g1 tbsp
Salt12 g for vegetable water, 6 g for fish water and 2 g for dressing.½ oz for vegetable water, 6 g for fish water and 2 g for dressing.
5,600 ml23⅔ cups
Water1 litre octopus; 1.5 litres vegetables; 2 litres fish; 500 ml beetroot; 500 ml eggs; 100 ml biscuits. Cooking liquids are drained.4¼ cups octopus; 6⅓ cups vegetables; 8½ cups fish; 2 cups beetroot; 2 cups eggs; ½ cup biscuits. Cooking liquids are drained.

Equipment

Deep bowl holding at least 4 litres
Saucepans
Food processor or mortar
Fine sieve
Fish spatula

Method

Simmer the octopus in 1 litre water for about 45–50 minutes, until a fork enters easily. Lift out, cool promptly in a shallow dish and slice. Hard-boil the eggs for 10 minutes in 500 ml water, cool under running water, then separate yolks and whites.Simmer the octopus in 4¼ cups water for about 45–50 minutes, until a fork enters easily. Lift out, cool promptly in a shallow dish and slice. Hard-boil the eggs for 10 minutes in 2 cups water, cool under running water, then separate yolks and whites.
Boil the beetroot separately in 500 ml water for about 20 minutes. In another pan bring 1.5 litres water and 12 g salt to a boil. Cook the potatoes for 12–15 minutes; lift them out. Use the same water to cook carrots for 6–8 minutes, cauliflower and artichokes for 7–8 minutes, and beans for 5–6 minutes, lifting out each vegetable separately when tender.Boil the beetroot separately in 2 cups water for about 20 minutes. In another pan bring 6⅓ cups water and ½ oz salt to a boil. Cook the potatoes for 12–15 minutes; lift them out. Use the same water to cook carrots for 6–8 minutes, cauliflower and artichokes for 7–8 minutes, and beans for 5–6 minutes, lifting out each vegetable separately when tender.
Poach the sea bass in 2 litres water with 6 g salt at a bare simmer for 8–10 minutes, until opaque. Lift out, remove skin and bones and break into large flakes. Cook the prawns in the same simmering liquid for about 3 minutes, until opaque. Drain; keep 6 for garnish and peel and chop the rest. Cool the seafood promptly in shallow dishes.Poach the sea bass in 8½ cups water with 6 g salt at a bare simmer for 8–10 minutes, until opaque. Lift out, remove skin and bones and break into large flakes. Cook the prawns in the same simmering liquid for about 3 minutes, until opaque. Drain; keep 6 for garnish and peel and chop the rest. Cool the seafood promptly in shallow dishes.
Soak the bread crumb in 40 ml vinegar. Blend it with parsley, egg yolks, cleaned anchovy fillets, capers, pine nuts, 20 g olives, one garlic clove and 100 ml oil to a thick green sauce. Dress the vegetables separately with the allocated 30 ml oil, 20 ml vinegar and 2 g salt; dress the fish with 20 ml oil. Keep beetroot apart so its color stays distinct.Soak the bread crumb in 2¾ tbsp vinegar. Blend it with parsley, egg yolks, cleaned anchovy fillets, capers, pine nuts, ¾ oz olives, one garlic clove and ½ cup oil to a thick green sauce. Dress the vegetables separately with the allocated 2 tbsp oil, 1¼ tbsp vinegar and 2 g salt; dress the fish with 1¼ tbsp oil. Keep beetroot apart so its color stays distinct.
Line the deep bowl with baking parchment. Rub the biscuits with the remaining garlic and moisten them with 100 ml water mixed with the remaining 10 ml vinegar. Layer vegetables and seafood in the bowl, spreading green sauce between layers. Reserve the prawns, egg whites and remaining olives for garnish. Finish with the softened biscuits, which will become the base when inverted.Line the deep bowl with baking parchment. Rub the biscuits with the remaining garlic and moisten them with ½ cup water mixed with the remaining 2 tsp vinegar. Layer vegetables and seafood in the bowl, spreading green sauce between layers. Reserve the prawns, egg whites and remaining olives for garnish. Finish with the softened biscuits, which will become the base when inverted.
Cover and refrigerate the assembled bowl and reserved garnish for 4 hours. Invert onto a platter, remove the parchment and decorate with all the reserved prawns, sliced egg whites and olives. Cut into six portions and serve cold.Cover and refrigerate the assembled bowl and reserved garnish for 4 hours. Invert onto a platter, remove the parchment and decorate with all the reserved prawns, sliced egg whites and olives. Cut into six portions and serve cold.