Sardines in saor are so delicious. It is an easy recipe to prepare, which we can serve as an appetizer or as a main course, suitable for impressing our guests with a special, refined dish with ancient traditions.
Fried sardines, covered with a sweet and sour ‘saor’ of onions.
The most important thing in this recipe is the resting time. It’s not a dish to be made and eaten immediately; it needs to be prepared at least a day before, left in the fridge for 24 hours so that the flavors blend perfectly.
For the recipe’s quantities, it’s very simple. The traditional Venetian recipe says once you decide the amount of sardines, just calculate the exact double of onions, and you’re done.
Sardines, also known as sardinellas, sardines, or whitebait, are fish belonging to the family Clupeidae, very common in the Mediterranean Sea, in open waters during the summer, even in shallow coastal waters, much loved in cooking.
The sardine is recognized by its streamlined body; on its belly, it has a row of sharp scales, and its head is also pointed.
The mouth is large and turned upward, but the teeth are very small. In water, sardines are greenish/iridescent blue on the back, silver on the sides, and white on the belly.
They generally measure 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) but can reach up to 12 inches (30 cm).
Sardines live in very dense schools, also composed of fish of other species of the same size, and they live up to 5 years, feeding on plankton.
Although it’s an extremely economical fish, its nutritional values are noteworthy. Sardines are rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids, which are very good for health.
In cooking, sardines are very loved and represent a cornerstone of Mediterranean cuisine.
They can be consumed breaded and fried, we can cook pasta with sardines, as they do in Palermo, or cook sardines à la beccafico.
In Liguria, sardines are usually prepared stuffed with vegetables (usually lettuce, Swiss chard, or spinach).
However, it is not recommended to consume them raw as anisakis often nests in them, or ensure that the fish has been frozen beforehand, even if you plan to consume them marinated.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Rest time: 1 Day
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4/6
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 377.32 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 23.57 (g) of which sugars 9.74 (g)
- Proteins 23.87 (g)
- Fat 22.20 (g) of which saturated 3.48 (g)of which unsaturated 12.64 (g)
- Fibers 2.87 (g)
- Sodium 265.84 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 120 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Sardines in Saor
- 28.2 oz sardines (weight after cleaning)
- 1.06 oz raisins
- 0.88 oz pine nuts
- 1 glass seed oil
- 2.64 lbs golden onions (1 kilo and 200 grams)
- 1/3 glass white wine vinegar
- 2 leaves bay leaves
- to taste salt
- pepper
- to taste all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- 2 Pans
- Paper Towels
- Slotted Spoon
Steps for Sardines in Saor
Soak the raisins in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain and squeeze them.
Meanwhile, slice the onions thinly and soak them in cold water.
Clean the sardines.
Proceed as follows: remove the head, remove the innards, and wash them under running water, pat them dry with kitchen paper, and coat them evenly with flour.
Heat plenty of oil in a high-sided pan and when it’s hot, fry the sardines.
When they’re golden, drain them with a slotted spoon and place them on kitchen paper to remove excess oil. Season with salt.
Let them cool, we need them nicely cold.
Now drain the onions and pat them dry with kitchen paper.
In a pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and add the onions.
After about ten minutes, add the vinegar and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes.
Add pine nuts, raisins, and bay leaves, season with salt and pepper.
(Cook on a very low flame, being careful to cover the pot with a lid. Remember to stir frequently so that the onion cooks evenly. When the onion has a golden and translucent color, turn off the heat and let everything cool).
Turn off the heat, add a grind of fresh pepper.
Sardines and saor must be assembled cold.
The assembly of the dish should be done in layers, making sure the first and last layer is saor.
So make a first layer of sardines in a dish.
Cover with the cooked onions with raisins and pine nuts.
Continue layering until the ingredients are used up.
Cover the dish with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge.
Let the fried fish marinate in the cold for at least 24 hours.
Serve the sardines in saor at room temperature as an appetizer or seafood main course.
Great accompanied by slices of white polenta.
Or do as I do with some nice slices of bread, and believe me, it’s a real treat.
Enjoy your meal.
Notes
Being a very delicate fish, meaning it spoils merely during the act of fishing, it should be consumed not fresh, but fresher.
On the market, you can buy them whole, already gutted, or even with the head removed.
A recommendation is also to pay attention to seasonality: the sardine plentifully populates all waters, but from March to September, the warm months, it can be appreciated.
Tips
Sardines in saor keep in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Leave them in the dish well covered with plastic wrap and take out the portions you need over time.
Always close the container well, making sure to change the plastic wrap each time.
If you liked this recipe, click on many stars, thank you very much.
I’m waiting for you in my group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/488624465780860
or on my page: https://www.facebook.com/gustoamoreefantasie
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use other types of fish?
Yes, certainly.
Is it okay if I use apple cider vinegar?
Great alternative.
