Hake with hazelnut and sage crust

Tonda gentile delle Langhe (gentle round of the Langhe) – what a lovely name for the nicest hazelnuts I have ever eaten.

Fragrant and sweet with no bitter aftertaste, they are a choice ingredient for the sumptuous gianduiotti chocolates of Turin.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Put the hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the skins start to loosen. Remove the skins by piling the nuts onto a clean tea towel, folding over the towel to enclose the nuts and rubbing the nuts until the skins flake away.

Using a pestle and mortar, lightly crush the hazelnuts. Blend the crushed hazelnuts, sage leaves, half of the olive oil and some salt and pepper. Coat one side of each hake fillet with this paste.

Pour the remaining half of the olive oil in a roasting tin. Place the fish in the tin coated side up and cook in the oven for about 15 minutes, until the fish is firm to the touch and cooked through. Serve with lemon wedges.