Directly from Venice, sardine in saor. This dish is so ancient, delicious, easy to prepare, cheap.
“Saor”, flavour literally, is an ancient tecnique of conservation using white wine vinegar. Raisin and pine nuts make onions taste lighter, even if they are very digestible because of the long cooking. Something important you have to know: sardine in saor have to rest in the fridge for at least 4 days, they will be better because the vinegar will flavour them.
Ready? Take notes and then everybody to the the fish market!
INGREDIENTS for 4 PEOPLE
500 g of sardine (about 400 g cleaned)
white onions, same weight of cleaned sardine
one handful of raisin
one handful of pine nuts
150 ml of white wine vinegar
evo oil to taste
half liter of canola oil
flour to taste
METHOD
Clean sardine putting the head and the entrails away, then rinse well with cold water. Drain well. Once dry, flour and fry in abundant hot canola oil. Drain once brown to remove oil in excess.
In a large non stick pan put some evo oil and the onions cut thin. Add one pinch of salt and and let them sweat covered on a very slow flame for 20-30 minutes. Onions have to become translucent. After this time add vinegar, wait few minutes and and switch the flame off.
In a casserole dish make layers with sardine and saor, add raisin (rehydrated in cold water for 15 minutes) and pine nuts. Go on until the end of the ingredients.
Seal with a plastic foil and let sardine rest in the fridge for at least one day befor serving. Take your time, resist and then tell me how it was!
