Skip to Content
Recipes

How Francesca Marsetti Fuses Branzino with Japanese Flavors

Our contributor shares a recipe from Italian fusion Chef, Francesca Marsetti that marries Branzino and Stracciatella with Teriyaki Sauce.

Branzino Crusted in Sesame Seeds with Stracciatella and Teriyaki Sauce. Photo courtesy of Francesca Marsetti.

Branzino Crusted in Sesame Seeds with Stracciatella and Teriyaki Sauce. Photo courtesy of Francesca Marsetti.

Sesame-crusted Branzino with Stracciatella and Teriyaki Sauce is a signature dish of Chef Francesca Marsetti. This mouthwatering marriage of Italian and Japanese ingredients is what she auditioned with for a spot on the cooking show, La Prova del Cuoco.

Despite the simplicity of its preparation, it packs a flavorful punch. Coating Mediterranean branzino (seabass) in sesame seeds, she lightly pan-fries the fish in extra virgin olive oil. Once cooked, she plates it and layers Pugliese stracciatella on top, before drizzling teriyaki sauce over it.

The dish is garnished with polenta chips, a nod to her home city of Bergamo (in the region of Lambardy), where polenta is a star item on menus.

Check out the recipe below and give Italian / Japanese fusion a try. You won't regret it!

Branzino Crusted in Sesame Seeds with Stracciatella and Teriyaki

Branzino Crusted in Sesame Seeds with Stracciatella and Teriyaki

Recipe by Francesca Marsetti
0.0 from 0 votes
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

8

minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1 whole Branzino (seabass), about 2 pounds

  • 1/2 pound 1/2 stracciatella cheese (from burrata)

  • 3/4 cup 3/4 sesame seeds (blend of black and white)

  • 1 cup 1 teriyaki sauce

  • 20 20 (approx) polenta chips

  • 1 tbsp. 1 extra virgin olive oil

  • Salt & pepper

Directions

  • Slice the branzino into filets and season with salt and pepper. 
  • Coat the meat side of the fish with the sesame seed mixture (do not coat the skin side).
  • Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet. 
  • Cook the fish fillets on medium heat, for approximately 4 minutes on each side. 
  • Once cooked, plate the branzino and add a layer of stracciatella cheese on top. 
  • Garnish with a drizzle of teriyaki sauce and crispy polenta chips.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @appetitomagazine on Instagram and hashtag it with #italianfoodanddrink

Like this recipe?

Follow @Appetitomagazine on Pinterest

Follow us on Facebook!

Follow us on Facebook

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Appetito

Amalfi Sauce: The Lemon Ricotta Pasta You’ll Make All Summer

One bite of this silky lemon sauce and you'll understand why the Amalfi Coast remains a culinary icon.

June 2, 2026

Sammontana Brings a Taste of Italian Summer to New York

An iconic Italian gelato brand is returning a smile to New York while introducing Americans to a new generation of frozen treats.

June 2, 2026

Hidden in the Soup: Calabria’s Minority Languages and Traditions

Food is helping preserve the languages, traditions, and stories of Calabria's minority communities.

June 1, 2026

Why Italians Say Se Non è Zuppa è Pan Bagnato

Some alternatives sound different until they end up in the same bowl.

June 1, 2026

Roots Tourism: The Journey Back to Where It All Began

Discover CulturaPaths, a company that arranges travel plans to Italy specifically focused on tracing ancestral roots.

June 1, 2026

Appetito Recommends Travel Italian Style to Plan Your Next Trip

Travel Italian Style is a bespoke travel planning service founded by Cassandra Santoro, an Italian travel expert and resident of Italy.

May 28, 2026
See all posts