How to make
It's a well known rule that very large fish are usually skinned, but with fish up to 9 lb (4 kg), you may not need to skin it.
Since pike is a slightly drier fish, place thin slices of bacon on the bottom of the baking pan in which you will bake the fish. The fish is cleaned and washed well, dried and rubbed with salt, including the inside.
Sprinkle black pepper on the inside. Cut the back of the fish (every 10 cm) without cutting all the way through (the cut is small).
Cut the lemons into thin slices, and cut them in half, so that there is one half in each opening of the fish.
Place the pike on the bacon, on the sides the bay leaves, black peppercorns and water, and pour the fat over the fish itself. Bake in a very well heated oven for 30 minutes.
The parsley is chopped and sprinkled after we take the pike out of the oven (or in each portion).
The baked pike is served with sautéed potatoes, French fries or salad depending on the season.
