Hake a la Romana
Floured and fried hake with lemon.
Ingredients
- 700 g White fish fillet
- 80 g All-purpose flour
- 2 Egg
- 300 ml Neutral oil
- ¾ tsp Salt
- 1 Lemon (optional)
Method
- Heat the oil in a deep frying pan to 180°C (355°F) — until it shimmers and a pinch of flour sizzles on contact.
- Set up a breading station: one shallow dish of flour, one of the beaten egg. Pat the fish dry, cut into fingers, and season with salt. Dredge each finger in flour first, then beaten egg, letting the excess drip off.
- Cut the lemon into wedges for squeezing over at the table.
- Fry the floured fish in batches in the hot oil until golden and just cooked through, about 2–3 minutes per batch, then drain on paper.
- Serve hot with the lemon wedges to squeeze over.
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About Hake a la Romana
Hake a la Romana, or merluza a la romana, is one of Spain's most beloved everyday fish dishes — tender pieces of white hake dredged simply in flour and beaten egg, then fried until golden. The name references the Roman style of a light egg-and-flour coating (rather than a heavy batter), which keeps the crust thin and lets the delicate fish stay moist inside. Bite through the crisp golden shell and you get flaky, mild hake that tastes clean and buttery, sharpened only by a squeeze of fresh lemon at the table. It's the kind of plate you'll find in nearly every Spanish home and menú del día, cheap, honest, and quick.
This version rewards attention to the frying itself: the oil is brought to 180°C so the coating sets and browns fast without soaking up grease, and the fish is cut into fingers and fried in batches so the pan never crowds and cools. Because hake cooks in just two to three minutes, the whole dish comes together in about twenty, making it a genuine weeknight main. Serve it hot straight from the pan with lemon wedges, and it pairs naturally with a simple green salad, patatas, or a cold glass of white. Keeping the batches small is the single trick that separates crisp merluza a la romana from a soggy one.
Hake a la Romana: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Hake a la Romana?
A serving has about 343 calories — 34.7g protein, 15.6g carbs, 15g fat, 0g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 34.7g of protein, roughly 40% of its calories.
Is Hake a la Romana gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains All-purpose flour. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Hake a la Romana?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out lemon — it's optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Hake a la Romana make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.