Italian cuisine · Fish & Seafood

Sarde a Beccafico

Sicilian sardine rolls with a breadcrumb filling of raisins, pine nuts and orange zest, from the oven.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 16 sardines (cleaned)
• 120 g breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 1 organic orange
• 1 lemon
• 4 anchovy fillets in oil
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 16 bay leaves
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Bone the sardines and butterfly them open into fillets, rinse in cold water and pat dry; soak the raisins in lukewarm water for 10 min. and then squeeze them out.
2. Toast the breadcrumbs in 3 tbsp olive oil over medium heat for 3-4 min. until golden brown and put them in a bowl.
3. Stir in the raisins, pine nuts, the finely chopped anchovy fillets, the grated orange zest, chopped parsley, salt and pepper, and bind with 2 tbsp orange juice into a crumbly, slightly moist filling.
4. Place 1 tsp of filling on each fillet, roll it up loosely from the head end, and set the rolls tail-up tightly into a greased dish, tucking a bay leaf between each one.
5. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and the juice of half an orange and half a lemon, sprinkle with the remaining breadcrumbs and bake in the preheated oven at 200°C for 18-20 min., until the surface is golden brown.
6. Let cool briefly and serve lukewarm with the remaining lemon wedges - this brings out the sweet-and-sour aroma best.