Sarde Beccafico ___

Sarde Beccafico

Ingredients

For the Sarde:

  • 1 pound fresh large sardines (Cleaned deboned and butterflied)
  • 2 large onions
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 0.5 cup pinoli nuts (pine nuts)
  • 0.5 cup currants
  • 0.5 cup plain bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano
  • bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoons fresh parsley
  • hot pepper
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt

Directions

Stuffing Preparation:

  1. In a saute` pan add EV olive oil, chopped garlic and 1/4 of one of the onions finely chopped. Cook at medium flame.
  2. Before the garlic begins to turn light gold add the pignoli nuts.
  3. Let the pignoli toast for a minute and add the currants.
  4. One minute later add the bread crumbs and let toast for a few minutes.
  5. Add the cheese and mix well until it melts into all the ingredients.
  6. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste.
  7. Add fresh parsley and remove the pan from the flame.

Sardines Preparation:

  1. Spread a light coat of EV olive oil at the bottom of an oven pan.
  2. Take each sardine and lay it on a board on its back.
  3. Spread a tablespoon of the stuffing over the surface of the sardine.
  4. Roll the sardine and place in an oven pan flanked by a slice of onion on each side. Separate each rolled sardine from the one next to it with a bay leaf.
  5. Roll all the sardines in the same fashion.
  6. Any excess stuffing spread it over the rolled sardines.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes at 375F.