Ingredients
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2 pounds Fresh sardines
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6 spoons Olive oil
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1/3 cup Currants
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2 spoons ParsleyMinced
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6 Black olives(pitted and slivered)
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2 dozen Bay leaves
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1 cup Breadcrumbs
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1/3 cup Pine nuts
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8 Anchovy fillets(finely chopped)
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Water
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1 LemonJuice and zest
Directions
“Sarde a beccafico” is one of the best known and loved traditional Sicilian recipes. The “beccafico” that gives the recipe its name is a small sparrow-like bird that feeds on sweet ripe figs. In days gone by only the nobility used to shoot these birds, which were cooked with a delicious stuffing and then served with their beak and tail feathers sticking upwards. In order to imitate the Sicilian nobles, plebeian replaced the small birds with ‘sardines’, a much more affordable product, which they filled with bread crumbs and few more “poor” ingredients.
They can be served as a main course with a side of boiled potatoes, but also as a sharer during the antipasti.
Steps
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1
Done
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Preheat oven to 350°F |
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2
Done
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Scale and clean sardines removing intestines and backbones |
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3
Done
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In a skillet, toast the breadcrumbs with 2 spoons of olive oil |
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4
Done
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When it becomes gold add pine nuts, currants, parsley, anchovy, olives and lemon zest |
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5
Done
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Add 1 or 2 spoons of olive oil if it’s dry and mix the ingredients |
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6
Done
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Put the mixture with a spoon in the middle of each sardine and roll up from the head to the tail |
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7
Done
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Place the sardines in the baking dish closer, place a bay leaf between each sardine and pour the lemon juice |
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8
Done
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Cook for 15 minutes and serve at room temperature! |
