Fig-Pecker Sardines - {Sarde A Beccatico}

Recipe Ingredients

3 lbs	1362g / 48oz	Fresh sardines
7 tablespoons	105ml	Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup	73g / 2.6oz	Bread crumbs
4		Lemons
3 tablespoons	45ml	Sugar
1 tablespoon	15ml	Salt - plus
		Salt - to taste
		Freshly-ground black pepper - to taste
1/2 tablespoon	7.5ml	Chili flakes - to taste
1/2		Parsley leaves - finely chopped,
		Plus extra as needed
4		Salt-packed anchovies
1 tablespoon	15ml	Pine nuts - lightly toasted
1 tablespoon	15ml	Raisins - soaked, drained
6		Fresh bay leaves

Recipe Instructions

Remove the heads of the sardines and pull out the backbones and entrails. Set the sardines aside. In a small saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs. Fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add 3 sliced lemons, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 tablespoon chili flakes and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Combine well and set aside for 1 hour.

Finely chop the anchovies, pine nuts, and raisins. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine 3/4 of the bread crumbs, anchovies, pine nuts, raisins, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste. Using a wooden spoon, toss until well-blended. Use this filling to stuff each sardine, using your palms to gently fold each fish closed. Secure with toothpicks.

Roll each sardine into a ball, starting at the tail end. Gently lay the sardines side by side in a baking dish, keeping them close so that they retain their shape. Sprinkle with salt. Scatter 6 bay leaves throughout the dish. Sprinkle the remaining bread crumbs over the sardines.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the juice of remaining lemon and 2 tablespoons sugar. Drizzle the sugared juice over the sardines. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the dish and bake until the sardines are cooked, about 30 minutes.

Serve sardines with the lemon salad and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Source:
MOLTO MARIO with Mario Batali - (Show # MB-2F03) - from the TV FOOD NETWORK

Rating

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5.5 (10 votes)

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