Instructions

1. Place almonds in a food processor or a blender and pulse until the pieces are roughly 1/8 inch big. Although the ratio of almonds to fish varies depending on the recipe and your personal preference, most recipes call for 1/4 cup to 1 cup of almonds to encrust four fish filets. Avoid overprocessing the almonds into a paste, which would not provide the same texture.

2. Transfer the ground almonds to a plate or shallow bowl. The bowl should be wide enough to fit your fish filets easily as you coat them with your almonds.

3. Beat an egg in another shallow bowl, if you are using it. Some recipes may omit the egg entirely; others may call for dijon mustard or egg whites as a substitute. This mixture is typically used to help the almonds adhere to the tilapia, allowing it to make a firm crust.

4. Dip the tilapia in the egg and then dip it into the ground almonds. Coat both sides, lightly pressing the almonds into the fish. Place the tilapia on a plate or a baking tray lined with parchment paper. The parchment paper will keep the fish from sticking to the plate or tray, which could remove some of the almonds.

5. Heat butter or oil in a large skillet over medium or medium-high heat before adding the tilapia. If the skillet is not large enough to fit each piece of fish without overcrowding, cook the fish in several batches. Overcrowding the pan keeps the fish from searing properly and usually results in soggy crusts.

6. Cook the fish until both sides are golden and the fish flakes when you test it with a fork. The amount of time varies, depending on the thickness of the tilapia, but is usually three to five minutes per side. Remove the fish from the pan and serve immediately.