Sicilian Stuffed Sardines

Day 17 of our carbless diet - When I saw the tray of beautiful sardine fillets at the fish monger, I had in mind just what to do with them. Despite not growing up with an Italian nonna, cooking authentic Italian food is not difficult with all the cookbooks and informations around. This is an Sicilian classic that I had laid my eyes on day one when the other tummy brought home The Italian Cookbook Collector's Collection (by Australian Goumet Traveller). The stuffing bit is a little bit fiddly for me but the end result is definitely worth doing it all over again. 

Recipe adapted from The Italian Cookbook Collector's Collection
oven preheated at 200 C
serves 2
you'll need;
8 to 10 sardine fillets
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
40 g of pine nuts
50 g of breadcrumbs
salt and pepper to taste
10 fresh bay leaves
2 bamboo skewers, soaked for at least an hour
dressed rocket to serve

for the dressing;
1 tsp of castor sugar
juice of 1 lemon
3 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
*whisk in a bowl until well combine.

Start with making the stuffing - Mix onion, garlic, sultanas, pine nuts and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Add enough olive oil until the mixture comes together. Season with salt and pepper.

Place a little stuffing on each fillet and roll it up from top to tail. 

Fix 4 to 5 roll to each bamboo skewer, dividing each with a fresh bay leaf.

Place skewers in a baking dish, scatter the remaining stuffing over and spoon the dressing all over. 

Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Serve immediately with some dressed salad leaves of your choice and perhaps a glass of light Italian red.