Name: Valdarno Trout Sandwich
Prep time: 5400 s
Cook time: 7200 s
Total time: 14400 s
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: FOR THE TROUT SANDWICH; Whole trout preferably from Antica Acquacoltura: 1; Sandwich bread: 2 slices; Trout mousseline: as needed (prepared below); White wine: 50 g; Extra virgin olive oil: as needed; Fine salt: to taste; FOR THE TROUT CREAM AND DILL MOUSSELINE; Trout belly and trimmings: 255 g (skin and bones removed); Heavy cream: 160 ml (cold); Pasteurized egg whites: 2 tbsp + 2 tsp; Lemon: 1/2 (finely zested); Fresh dill: 7 g or to taste (finely chopped); Fine salt: to taste; FOR THE TROUT STOCK; Trout head and backbone: from the whole trout above: gills removed; Fennel bulb: 1 (roughly chopped); Celery stalk: 1 (roughly chopped); Leek: 1/2 (roughly chopped); White onions: 2 (roughly chopped); White button mushrooms: 100 g (roughly chopped); Parsley stems: 20; Juniper berries: 2 (lightly crushed); White wine: as needed; Cold water and ice: as needed; Extra virgin olive oil: as needed; FOR THE TROUT CUCUMBER AND BAY LEAF–SMOKED BUTTER SAUCE; Trout stock: 195 ml + 1 tbsp (reduced and strained); Bay leaf-smoked butter: 150 g (cold and cubed); Cucumber juice: 50 ml + 1 tsp

Valdarno Trout Sandwich

13 Nov 2026

Andrea Godi

Chef

Copy link

Difficulty

Challenge

Total Time

4H 0MIN

Cuisine

Italian

Ingredients

FOR THE TROUT SANDWICH

Whole trout, preferably from Antica Acquacoltura: 1

Sandwich bread: 2 slices

Trout mousseline: as needed (prepared below)

White wine: 50 g

Extra virgin olive oil: as needed

Fine salt: to taste

FOR THE TROUT, CREAM, AND DILL MOUSSELINE

Trout belly and trimmings: 255 g (skin and bones removed)

Heavy cream: 160 ml (cold)

Pasteurized egg whites: 2 tbsp + 2 tsp

Lemon: 1/2 (finely zested)

Fresh dill: 7 g or to taste (finely chopped)

Fine salt: to taste

FOR THE TROUT STOCK

Trout head and backbone: from the whole trout above: gills removed

Fennel bulb: 1 (roughly chopped)

Celery stalk: 1 (roughly chopped)

Leek: 1/2 (roughly chopped)

White onions: 2 (roughly chopped)

White button mushrooms: 100 g (roughly chopped)

Parsley stems: 20

Juniper berries: 2 (lightly crushed)

White wine: as needed

Cold water and ice: as needed

Extra virgin olive oil: as needed

FOR THE TROUT, CUCUMBER, AND BAY LEAF–SMOKED BUTTER SAUCE

Trout stock: 195 ml + 1 tbsp (reduced and strained)

Bay leaf-smoked butter: 150 g (cold and cubed)

Cucumber juice: 50 ml + 1 tsp

Green bay leaf oil: 1.5 tbsp

Lemon juice: 2 tsp

Chiaro di Bolle sparkling wine: 1 tbsp + 2 tsp

Fine salt: to taste

FOR THE GARNISHES AND FINISHING

Melon: 1

Cucumber: 1

Trout roe: as needed

Extra virgin olive oil: as needed

Fine salt: to taste, if needed

Green fig leaf oil: 1-2 drops per plate

Andrea Godi’s trout sandwich at Osteria del Borro layers fish and dill-scented mousseline between thin slices of bread, toasted until crisp. Melon, cucumber, and trout roe accompany it, with a cucumber and smoked-butter sauce served alongside. This is an ambitious cooking project, so read through the full method before starting.

How to make a Valdarno Trout Sandwich

01.

Prepare the Trout

Gut and clean the trout, then fillet it and carefully remove all bones. Trim the fillets, reserving the belly and trimmings for the mousseline and the head and backbone for the stock.
Weigh out 255g / 9oz of skinless, boneless trout belly and trimmings for the mousseline. Keep these and the fillets refrigerated while you start the stock.
Thoroughly clean the head and backbone, removing the gills and any traces of blood.

02.

Roast the Bones and Start the Stock

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C.
Arrange the head and backbone on a baking sheet and roast for 15–20 minutes, until lightly golden. Avoid excessive browning, which can produce bitter flavors.
Meanwhile, gently sweat the fennel, celery, leek, and onions in a stockpot with a little olive oil. Add the roasted bones and a splash of white wine. Allow the wine to reduce.
Cover with cold water and ice, then add the mushrooms, parsley stems, and juniper berries. Slowly bring to a gentle simmer, skimming off any impurities.

03.

Simmer and Reduce the Stock

Simmer gently for 30–45 minutes without allowing the stock to boil vigorously. While it simmers, continue with the marinade and mousseline in the following steps.
When the stock is ready, strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a clean cloth, without pressing firmly on the solids.
Transfer to a clean saucepan and reduce until sufficiently concentrated for the sauce. Measure out 195ml / ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon, reserving any additional stock separately.

04.

Marinate the Trout Fillets

Season the fillets with a little olive oil, the 50g white wine, and salt.
Marinate in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes while preparing the mousseline. Drain and pat dry thoroughly before assembling the sandwich.

05.

Make the Trout Mousseline

Thoroughly chill the trout trimmings, cream, and food processor bowl. Keeping everything cold helps prevent the mousseline from separating.
Process the trout until fine and smooth. Add the egg whites and blend until incorporated.
Slowly pour in the cold cream in a thin stream, processing briefly until smooth and uniform. Avoid overheating the mixture.
Pass through a fine-mesh sieve, then fold in the lemon zest, dill, and salt. Use the dill sparingly so it does not overpower the trout.
Cook a small spoonful to check the texture and seasoning. The mousseline should hold its shape while remaining tender after cooking. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

06.

Assemble and Chill the Sandwich

Remove the crusts from the bread. Pass the slices through a pasta roller until evenly flattened to approximately 1/16 inch / 1.5mm thick.
Spread a thin, even layer of mousseline over each slice. Arrange the drained trout fillets evenly on one slice, then spread another thin layer of mousseline over the fish.
Place the second bread slice on top, mousseline-side down, to form a compact, even sandwich.
Wrap in plastic wrap and press gently without compressing it too much. Refrigerate for 1–2 hours, until firm and easy to portion.

07.

Prepare the Melon and Cucumber

While the sandwich chills, peel the melon and use a melon baller to scoop out small, uniform balls. Juice the remaining flesh and strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
Submerge the melon balls in the juice and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes.
Use the melon baller to scoop out small cucumber balls. Juice the remaining cucumber flesh and strain. Measure out the juice needed for the sauce, using additional cucumber juice if necessary.
Submerge the cucumber balls in the remaining juice and refrigerate for 15–20 minutes.
Keep both garnishes refrigerated until plating, then drain gently. Keep the trout roe refrigerated separately.

08.

Prepare the Sauce Base

Shortly before cooking the sandwich, heat the measured trout stock and cucumber juice in a saucepan without bringing them to a rapid boil.
Reduce slightly, if needed, until the base is flavorful and concentrated. Set aside while you begin cooking the sandwich.
Have the cold smoked butter, cold butter, lemon juice, sparkling wine, and bay leaf oil measured and ready.

09.

Cook the Sandwich

Heat the oven to 350°F / 175°C.*
Remove the plastic wrap from the chilled sandwich. Trim the edges and cut into the desired shape.
Heat a thin coating of olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Brown the sandwich on both sides until the bread is golden and crisp.
Transfer to the oven if necessary to finish cooking the center without burning the bread. The trout and mousseline must be fully cooked throughout. Allow approximately 10–15 minutes for the combined skillet and oven cooking, depending on thickness.*

10.

Finish the Butter Sauce

While the sandwich finishes cooking, bring the sauce base to approximately 140–149°F / 60–65°C, then remove from the heat.
Gradually add the smoked butter and cold butter, blending with an immersion blender to emulsify.
Add the lemon juice and sparkling wine, then continue blending. Slowly drizzle in the bay leaf oil, keeping the emulsion stable.
Taste and adjust the salt and acidity. If the sauce is too thick, thin with a little warm reserved stock.
Strain if necessary and keep warm briefly while plating. Do not let the finished sauce boil.

11.

Plate and Serve

Place the sandwich on a plate, whole or divided into evenly sized portions.
Arrange the drained melon and cucumber balls around it. Add small spoonfuls of trout roe, keeping the crisp bread uncovered and avoiding direct contact with the hot sauce.
Finish with a few drops of green fig leaf oil.
Serve the sauce in a sauceboat alongside, or spoon a little onto the base of each plate immediately before adding the sandwich. Serve immediately.

Spread the flavor - share this story.

13 Nov 2026

Chef Enthusiast

Home Cooking

The Chef

Andrea Godi leads Osteria del Borro’s kitchen in Tuscany, combining seasonal estate ingredients with precise technique and contemporary Italian cooking.

View profile