Fresh sardines and tomato sauce – a delectable combo

WITH its origins dating back to the mid-1800s, the sardine run has been a staple spectacle for South Africans and visitors from around the globe. If you have been following this winter attraction or love fresh fish, you would no doubt like to incorporate some fresh sardines into a hearty winter dish.

Also read: Watch: Sardines on the run… again

Enter ‘Sarde al pomodoro‘, an Italian dish that incorporates sardines with a comforting homemade tomato sauce, making for a delicious pasta sauce or satisfying main plate. Much like in South Africa, the silvery fish has humble origins as a part of Italy’s cuisine, and even forms part of the Mediterranean diet.

Homemade tomato sauce recipe

Ingredients

• 2tbsp olive oil
• 500g cherry tomatoes
• 1 chopped onion
• Sage
• Bay leaves
• Rosemary
• Garlic

Start by sautéing the chopped onion. Add in the bay leaf and once the onions start to become translucent, add in the tomatoes. Squash the tomatoes with a whisk and add salt to taste. Cook the sauce. Once cooked, sieve the tomato sauce.

Sauté the garlic and herbs for the aromatic oil and once done, add into the sauce.

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Sardines with tomato sauce recipe

This recipe is cooked ad occhio, or by eye, but rough quantities are included where appropriate.

Ingredients

• fresh sardines (at least two dozen)
• tomato sauce
• 2 onions
• 1 clove of garlic
• red chili pepper
• 1-2 vegetable stock cubes or vegetable broth
• basil leaves
• salt
• extra-virgin olive oil
• peanut oil
• flour

Prepare the sauce by slicing two onions and a clove of garlic into strips. Heat the olive oil in a pan and brown the onions before adding in freshly chopped red chili pepper and garlic, over low heat.

Add the tomato sauce, a few chopped basil leaves, a pinch of salt, and vegetable broth or stock cubes. Cook the sauce over low heat with the lid half closed for at least half an hour.

While the sauce cooks, clean the sardines by removing the head and entrails. Wash them well under running water and let them dry with the belly cut down. Gently dab with paper towels and bread lightly with flour.

Heat plenty of peanut seed oil in a frying pan and fry the sardines, letting them brown for a few minutes. Once the sauce is ready, add the sardines and let them cook with the other ingredients for at least 10 minutes.

There you have it, a hearty meal for all the fresh sardines you will be able to get during the sardine run.

This recipe is courtesy of La Cucina Italiana.

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