Sarde a Beccafico (Sicilian stuffed Sardines)

These sardines make an elegant presentation. Beccafico is a plump songbird. Sicilians stuff the sardines so they resemble the birds. The tail of the fish is twisted upward in imitation of a bird's tail.

• 2 pounds fresh sardines
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1/3 cup currants, plumped in water
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• 8 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
• 6 kalamata olives, pitted and slivered
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• Juice and zest of 1 orange
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 dozen bay leaves

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Scale, gut and clean sardines. Split open to remove backbone, but do not cut in half.

In a heavy skillet, over low flame, brown breadcrumbs in 2 tablespoons oil. When golden, take off heat and stir in pine nuts, currants, parsley, anchovy, olives, orange and lemon zest. Moisten with 1 - 2 tablespoons additional oil if mixture is dry.

Place a spoonful of mixture in the center of each opened sardine. Do not close sardines. Roll up starting with edge opposite the tail. When rolled, place side by side in baking dish with tail sticking up. Place a bay leaf between each fish.

Mix together, lemon and orange juice.

When ready to bake, sprinkle with sugar and then with the citrus juices.

Bake in preheated 350° F oven for 10 - 15 minutes.

This dish is excellent when served either hot or cold.

Serves: 6

This recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

article on Sicilian cooking

sicilian recipes

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