Seasoned fishcakes, known in Israel as ktzitzot dagim. Fried fish patties with pine nuts, breadcrumbs, & seasonings served with tahini sauce.
Prep time: PT15M
Cook time: PT15M
Total time: PT30M
Rating
4.89 stars (18 reviews)
Keywords
fish, israeli
Ingredients
1/4 cup pinenuts
1 pound boneless skinless fish fillets (white or mild fish like whitefish, trout or tilapia)
1/2 cup minced onion (about 1 medium onion)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste ((I usually use about 3/4 tsp))
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste ((very spicy))
1/3 cup grapeseed or olive oil for frying
1/2 cup tahini sauce for dipping (optional) ((click here for recipe))
Categories
Main Course
Cuisine
Middle Eastern
Steps
Pour the pine nuts into a small skillet and toast them over medium heat for 6-8 minutes till golden and fragrant, stirring constantly. They will go from brown to burned very quickly, so keep a close eye on them. When they are golden, pour them immediately into a large mixing bowl and reserve.
Cut the fish fillet into large chunks and place it into a food processor. Pulse just a few times until the fish chunks are coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess or you'll end up with fish mush-- just a few pulses should do the trick. Alternatively, you can chop the fish into small pieces with a sharp knife.
Place the chopped fish into the mixing bowl with the pine nuts. Add the onion, breadcrumbs, chopped cilantro, egg, salt, cumin, and cayenne. Stir till all ingredients are well blended.
Heat your oil over medium till hot enough for frying. Form 2 tablespoons of fish batter into a small disk and place it into the hot oil. Let it fry till golden on both sides-- if your oil is at the proper temperature, it will take 2-3 minutes per side to become dark golden brown. Start by cooking one fish cake, then taste it after it has cooled slightly. Adjust seasonings in the batter if desired, adding more salt or cayenne if needed (cayenne is very spicy, add with care). Once the batter is seasoned to your liking, continue frying in batches of 4-5 patties at a time.
Place cooked patties onto a paper towel to drain.
Serve hot. I like to serve these with tahini sauce for dipping (recipe can be found on my website). It would also pair well with aioli, tartar sauce, cocktail sauce, or ketchup for the kids. Try it with sriracha if you're in the mood for something spicy.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 97 kcal
Carbohydrates: 3 g
Protein: 5 g
Fat: 7 g
Cholesterol: 17 mg
Sodium: 79 mg
Reviews
Sharon Hartwell on 2026-03-13 (5 stars): I have been making this recipe for years and my family loves it. I'd like to make it for the seder this year instead of gefilte fish (using matzo meal, of course). Can I prepare it a day or two ahead and reheat?
Jennifer on 2020-09-21 (5 stars): Our whole family agrees that this is a keeper. So very good!
Michelle on 2020-07-24 (5 stars): Good recipe. I like to broil the fish first before making the fish cake mix. I also added tumeric to the sauce.
Eric on 2020-07-07 (5 stars): Made these fish cakes using king cod tonight just as the recipe called for and they were fantastic. Looked just like the picture ?. Easy to make and the family all gave a thumbs up. Thank you.
Tomas on 2020-04-15 (5 stars): I have just finished cooking this meal and it is soooo delicious. I used a carp (fresh water fish) and it tastes really good. Our kids loved it. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Mary on 2018-02-06 (5 stars): I had lots of fish and didn't want to do the same old cornmeal breading. I came to your site looking for something different and you did not disappoint. Excellent recipe. I make salmon patties during Lent, but this recipe will definitely make an appearance again at our table. My husband loved it. The fish looked a little weird in the food processor, but with the other ingredients they came together beautifully. Thank you!
