sardine a scabecciu

Fried marinated sardines

Ingredients

Serves 8
1kg of very fresh sardines (not too large)
3 ripe tomatoes, peeled and deseeded
4 cloves of garlic (crushed in a mortar)
50g of capers
80g of black olives (stones removed)
A bunch of parsley
50g bread crumbs
Red wine vinegar
Salt
Oil for frying
Extra virgin olive oil

method

For best results this recipe should be prepared two days in advance.
Remove the entrails of the sardines and then wash and dry them. You now need to roll the sardines in the bread crumbs, the easiest way to do this is to place the sardines in a large bowl with the bread crumbs and a teaspoon of salt and carefully mix them together with your hands.
In a large frying pan heat some vegetable oil until it begins to spit. Add the Sardines to the oil in batches just long enough for them to colour and then remove with a slotted spoon and place on some kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil. Once you have fried all of the Sardines cover them with some kitchen paper and set to one side.
Now for the marinade. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan and fry the crushed garlic with some finely chopped parsley, add the tomatoes, season with salt and cook over a low heat. Once the tomatoes have softened add a glass of red wine vinegar and continue to cook over a low heat for 5 minutes or until all the liquid has been consumed. Finely chop the capers and olives and add them to the tomato sauce.
You now need to select a fairly deep dish remembering that it has to fit in the fridge.
At the base of the dish make a layer of Sardines then cover with some of the tomato mixture then another layer of sardines and so on until you finish all the ingredients. Finish with a dash of olive oil.
Allow the dish to cool and then place in the fridge for two days. Serve the sardines at room temperature with some of the marinade on the side.