Stuffed Sardines

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Total Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

>        1kg fresh sardines

>        ¼ cup olive oil

>        ½ cup soft white breadcrumbs

>        ¼ cup sultanas

>        ½ cup pine nuts

>        20 g can anchovies (drained and mashed)

>        ½ teaspoon sugar

>        1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

>        2 spring onions, finely chopped

>        Salt and fresh ground black pepper

>        Lemon wedges, to serve

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to moderate 180 degree C. Cut the heads from fish. Split open belly of each sardine and remove insides. Lever of each backbone with fingers by gently pulling away from flesh. Cut off at tail end of bone. Wash in salted water and dry on paper towels.
2. Heat half the oil in a frying pan. Add breadcrumbs ; cook quickly until lightly brown. Drain crumbs on paper towels.
3. Place half the crumbs in a bowl, stir in sultanas, pine nuts, mashed anchovies, sugar, parsley, spring onions, salt and pepper. Stuff about 2 teaspoons of mixture into each sardine cavity.
4. Place stuffed sardines side by side into a well greased baking dish in a single layer. Sprinkle any remaining stuffing over the top of sardines with the reserved cooked breadcrumbs. Drizzle the reserve olive oil over top. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve Sardines accompanied by lemon wedges.

NOTE: Sardines maybe prepared several hours ahead and refrigerated.
Cook just before serving.