Stuffed Lemon Sauce Sardines 

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. sardines

• 1 medium size onion, diced

• 1 ½ cups of toasted breadcrumbs

• 4 anchovy fillets, chopped (If salted wash salt out)

• juice of 2 lemons

• 2 tablespoons of sugar

• ½ cup of olive oil

• 2 oz. pin nuts

• 2 oz. currants or raisins

• chopped parsley

• salt and pepper

• bay leaves

• large slices of onions, 1 for every sardine

• slices of lemon for garnish

• an oiled pan 12 inches X 9 inches

 

Preparation

The Sardines
Cut off the head of the sardines.
In a large basin with cold water, immerse sardines, and scale them under water (to avoid a big mess) using a teaspoon or your nails. Discard interior and by inserting the finger under the bone, eliminate it. Open the sardines leaving the two sides connected and the tail intact. Wash and drain.

The Stuffing
Sauté the onions in a ½ cup of olive oil and after 7 minutes add breadcrumbs. Cook for 2 minutes and set on the side in a large bowl.
When breadcrumbs cool off, add the juice of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon of sugar, fillets of anchovies, pin nut, currants, and parsley.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

The Beccafico
Gently tap dry the sardines fillets with paper towels, place 1 tablespoon of breadcrumb on the large side of the fillet(opposite the tail), fold and roll up and arrange stuffed sardines in the oiled pan, tail up.
Alternate a slice of onion and a bay leaf between each Sarda a Beccafico.
Whisk remaining olive oil with lemon and sugar, and sprinkle over sardines, shake leftover breadcrumb mixture on top.
Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees.
Serve hot or at room temperature. Garnish with sliced lemon.