This is quite a lot of work, as fishmongers don’t usually bother to scale sardines, but it makes a very tasty mezze.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Wash and scale the sardines and remove heads and tails. Slit them open down one side only, and remove their backbones. Dip the sardines, open side down, in a mixture of ground cumin, garlic, ground chili pepper, and salt. Stick the sardines together in pairs, open sides together, trapping the seasonings between them.
Step 2
Dip the pairs in beaten egg, then in flour or breadcrumbs. Deep-fry in hot oil, being very careful not to let the pairs separate. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.
Variation
Step 3
For a Moroccan version with a mashed-potato stuffing: mash 1 pound boiled potatoes and mix with 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, and 3 beaten eggs. Add salt and pepper, 1 teaspoon cumin or 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon paprika, and a pinch of chili pepper. Take a lump the size of a small egg. Roll it into a long oblong and press between 2 sardines. Dip in flour and deep-fry quickly in hot oil, then drain on paper towels.
