Found all around the Mediterranean coast, fish baked in a salt crust is a classic dish. Maurizio believes this is the very best way to eat a fresh fish. We have found that the addition of cornmeal to the salt coating does an even better job of sealing in the fish juices, and it makes it much easier to remove the crust when the fish is cooked. We have included a simple sauce recipe, but Maurizio likes this fish with only extra virgin olive oil and lemon.

         Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, and coarse salt in a large bowl. Add the egg whites and ½ cup of the water and stir with wooden spoon until combined well. Add the remaining ¼ cup of water plus additional water if necessary to form a stiff dough. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a size just large enough to enclose the fish and transfer the dough to a baking sheet.

        Place the rosemary inside the fish, then wrap the fish completely in the dough and press the edges together to seal them. Bake for 25 minutes.

        With a sharp knife make a slit across the fish,  just   below  the  head.

         Prepare the sauce about one-half hour before serving. Just mix all of the ingredients together in a small glass or stainless steel bowl and set aside until ready to use.