Recipe for stuffed sardines

Ingredients

Fresh sardines or anchovies, breadcrumbs soaked in milk, garlic, parsely, grated parmesan, salt, chilli pepper, olive oil, fresh or peeled tomatoes, eggs.

Preparation

Wet a piece of brown paper and scale the sardines or anchovies (less oily) by rubbing it up and down from the tail to the head several times. Fillet the fish by pulling the head towards the tail, this way the entrails will come away too.

Be careful not to completely separate the two halves of the fish. Should this happen they can be added to the stuffing.

You usually calculate a good ten sardines a head. Make the stuffing by mixing filleted, chopped sardines or anchovies together with the breadcrumbs, one egg every three portions,grated parmesan, finely chopped parsely and garlic and chilli pepper, and salt.

Mix well. Spoon the stuffing onto one of the fillets and cover with the other. Flour, dip in the egg and fry.

The sardines or anchovies can be served this way, dipped in egg and fried, or in a fresh tomato sauce enhanced by wild fennel.

Photo by Il Cucchiaio d'Argento