Name: Sarde in Saor
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1520 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 800 g Fresh sardines (cleaned, heads off, butterflied or whole); 800 g Onion (sliced into thin half-moons); 80 g All-purpose flour (for dredging); 150 ml White wine vinegar; 60 g Raisins (soaked 15 minutes, squeezed); 40 g Pine nuts; 60 ml Extra-virgin olive oil (for the onions); 50 ml White wine (to deglaze the onions); 8 g Salt (q.b.); 1 g Black pepper; 600 ml Sunflower or peanut oil (For frying; have about 600 ml ready in a suitable pan)

Cook the onions gently until soft and pale gold, then add the wine, vinegar, raisins and pine nuts. This recipe uses the same weight of cleaned sardines and onions. Layer them in a shallow dish and refrigerate for the resting period.

Make ahead Assemble a day ahead and refrigerate promptly in a shallow, covered dish. Keep chilled until serving.

Total: 25 hr 20 min
Prep: 40 min
Cook: 40 min
Serves: 6

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Sarde in Saor

Total 25 hr 20 min · Prep 40 min · Cook 40 min · Serves 6

Ingredients

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6 servings

800 g1¾ lb800 g
Fresh sardinescleaned, heads off, butterflied or whole
800 g1¾ lb800 g
Onionsliced into thin half-moons
80 g⅔ cup80 g
All-purpose flourfor dredging
150 ml⅔ cup150 ml
White wine vinegar
60 g2 oz60 g
Raisinssoaked 15 minutes, squeezed
40 g1½ oz40 g
Pine nuts
60 ml¼ cup60 ml
Extra-virgin olive oilfor the onionsor Tuscan Extra Virgin Olive Oil IGP or Terre Nostre Toscano IGP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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50 ml3½ tbsp50 ml
White wineto deglaze the onions
to taste
Salt
1 g½ tsp1 g
Black pepper
600 ml2½ cups600 ml
Sunflower or peanut oilFor frying; have about 600 ml ready in a suitable panFor frying; have about 2½ cups ready in a suitable pan

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Method

Cook the onions in 60 ml of oil with a pinch of salt over the lowest heat, lid ajar, until completely soft and pale gold, never browned, about 25 minutes.Cook the onions in ¼ cup (60 ml) of oil with a pinch of salt over the lowest heat, lid ajar, until completely soft and pale gold, never browned, about 25 minutes.
Add the wine, then the vinegar; simmer 5 minutes so the sharpness rounds. Stir in raisins and pine nuts and take off the heat.
Pat the sardines dry, season, and dredge in flour, shaking off the excess.
Fry the sardines in hot oil in batches until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes a side. Drain on paper and salt lightly while hot.
In a ceramic or glass dish, layer: onions, sardines, onions, sardines, finishing with a thick blanket of onions and all the juices.
Refrigerate promptly in a shallow, covered dish and rest for at least 24 hours. Keep chilled until serving, then portion onto plates.
Serve with grilled polenta or good bread, a toothpick, and something cold and bubbly.

Equipment

Baking DishUse a ceramic or glass dish for the long marinating rest.
Sauté Pan2 options
- Our pick
  All-Clad D3 Stainless Steel Sauté Pan with Lid, 3 qt
  A lidded sauté pan for the recipe’s pan cooking; cook in batches to avoid crowding.
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- Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Sauté Pan, 3.5 qt
  A tri-ply sauté pan with a helper handle, easy to lift when full.
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Cast Iron SkilletOur pick
- Our pick
  Lodge Cast Iron Skillet, 30cm
  A seasoned cast-iron skillet for the recipe’s pan cooking.
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Estimated per serving

Calories: 560 kcal
Protein: 28.9 g
Carbohydrates: 22.3 g
Fat: 38.8 g
Fiber: 2.3 g

Per serving · 1/6 of the recipe Ingredient-based estimate; brands and preparation change the result. Absorbed frying oil estimated at 45.6g per batch using a published 6% category factor; coating, temperature and drainage change uptake. Assumes 90% edible cleaned sardines, half the flour coating and 85% wine-alcohol retention. All onion dressing included; optional bread/polenta excluded.

Nutrition sources: CREA Centro di ricerca Alimenti e Nutrizione · USDA Agricultural Research Service