Beccafico sardines
- 1 lb sardines
- 3 ½ oz breadcrumbs
- 2 salted anchovies
- ¾ oz pine nuts
- ¾ oz sultanas
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
- 3 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- bay leaves to taste
- salt and pepper
Prepare the sardines, removing the heads and the insides. Remove the bones but leave the tail intact. Rinse and bone the sardines, then chop them finely. Soak the raisins in a bowl of lukewarm water for 15 minutes, then drain and press to remove excess water.
Heat three-quarters of the oil in a skillet and pour in the breadcrumbs. Sauté until they start to brown. Transfer to a bowl to cool, and then add the parsley, pine nuts, raisins and anchovies. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and oil a baking pan.
Cut the sardines lengthwise and open them up like a book, skin side down. Put a little of the breadcrumb mixture in each sardine and then roll them up, starting from the head end so that the tail is left outside. Secure the rolls with a cocktail stick. Arrange the bay leaves in the prepared pan and place the sardines on the bay leaves. Drizzle with the remaining oil and bake for about 20 minutes.
