Ingredients
Method
Prepare the oven and dish
- Heat the oven to 200 C / 390 F. Lightly oil a shallow ceramic baking dish large enough to hold all the sardine rolls standing snugly upright.
Make the stuffing
- Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and toast, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes until pale gold and fragrant. Tip into a mixing bowl.
- Add the pine nuts, drained raisins, chopped anchovy fillets, parsley, orange zest, lemon zest, and 2 tbsp olive oil to the crumbs. Stir until combined - the mixture should hold together loosely when pressed. Taste and add a small pinch of salt if needed.
Butterfly the sardines
- Place a gutted sardine skin-side down on a cutting board. Press firmly along the backbone with your thumb to flatten. Slide a finger under the backbone at the head end and lift it away cleanly, removing the spine from head to tail. The fish should lie open in one flat piece.
- Repeat with all remaining sardines. Season each butterflied sardine lightly with salt and pepper.
Stuff and roll
- Place 1 heaped teaspoon of stuffing at the head end of each butterflied sardine, on the flesh side. Press the stuffing down gently so it stays in place.
- Roll each sardine from the head end toward the tail so the tail fin sticks upright. Place each roll in the oiled baking dish, tail-up, and push them together so they're snug.
- Tuck a bay leaf between each roll. Drizzle the orange juice and remaining 3 tbsp olive oil evenly over the top.
Bake and serve
- Bake at 200 C / 390 F for 15 to 18 minutes, until the breadcrumb tips are golden and the fish is cooked through - the flesh should turn opaque when you press the side of a roll gently.
- Rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature with a wedge of lemon on the side.
Notes
The dish keeps well at room temperature for up to 2 hours, making it practical for a buffet or antipasto spread. Leftovers eaten cold the next day are genuinely good.
