Go Back
Sarde a beccafico baked in a terracotta dish, sardine rolls standing upright with golden breadcrumb tops and bay leaves

Sarde a Beccafico: Sicilian Stuffed Sardines

Butterflied fresh sardines stuffed with a pine nut and raisin breadcrumb filling, rolled with bay leaves, and baked until golden - a classic Palermo dish that takes about 40 minutes start to finish.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 310

Ingredients
  

For the sardines
  • 800 g fresh whole sardines, scaled and gutted approx 12 to 14 fish
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus extra for the baking dish
  • 3 tbsp fresh orange juice from 1 orange
  • 12 bay leaves fresh or dried
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the stuffing
  • 100 g day-old white bread, crusts removed pulsed into coarse crumbs
  • 30 g pine nuts or roughly chopped blanched almonds
  • 30 g raisins or sultanas soaked in warm water 5 minutes, drained
  • 4 anchovy fillets in oil finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
  • 1 tsp orange zest from 1 orange
  • 1 tsp lemon zest from 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to bind the stuffing
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt adjust to taste - anchovies are already salty

Method
 

Prepare the oven and dish
  1. 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
  1. 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.
  2. 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
  1. 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.
  2. Repeat with all remaining sardines. Season each butterflied sardine lightly with salt and pepper.
Stuff and roll
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Tuck a bay leaf between each roll. Drizzle the orange juice and remaining 3 tbsp olive oil evenly over the top.
Bake and serve
  1. 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.
  2. 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.