Skip the frozen fish sticks, artificial crab meat and genetically engineered salmon, and treat yourself to a protein packed Italian Baked Sardine dinner.
The next time you are contemplating what to eat :: mangiare for lunch or dinner, try this delicious sardine recipe. Why? I’m glad you asked.
Top 5 Reasons to Eat More Sardines (fresh or canned):
1. Sardines are loaded with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, potassium, iron and calcium :: calcio.
2. Fresh sardines vary in prices, but they are usually less expensive than other fresh fish :: pesce.
3. Unlike salmon and tuna :: tonno, sardines are low on the food chain meaning they contain lower amounts of mercury and other toxins.
4. Thanks to their abundance :: abbondanza and high production rates, they are a sustainable fish.
5. They are super easy to prepare :: preparare. Just set them on a baking sheet, cover them 5 ingredients and dinner is done in less than 20 minutes.
I suppose I should have added a 6th reason: they are delicious! I grew up as a canned sardine lover. I have vivid childhood memories of my dad :: papà picking me up when I wasn’t even tall enough to see the top of the kitchen table, setting me on his lap and letting me share his canned sardines packed in olive oil. My three year old taste buds fell in love with this small, oily, silvery fish.
Living in Italy, it would be a true shame :: peccato if I didn’t take advantage of the ample sardines found in the Mediterranean Basin. And, although they shut down the last sardine cannery in the United States in 2010, almost every American grocery store sells this imported saltwater fish, either fresh or in the canned variety.
I am getting into a habit of getting my fish recipes from the fishmonger :: pescivendolo at the local market. Amidst the crowds of customers waiting in line, he is all to kind to reveal to me a quick Italian recipe to try out. Like many Italian recipes, it involves fresh food and a short list of ingredients.
You can serve these as an appetizer, side dish or main course. They also pair exceptionally well with some of my other seafood recipes like my Blood Orange Baked Sole or Fennel and Radicchio Shrimp Bruschetta if you want to offer your family or guests a variety :: varietà.
Skip the frozen fish sticks, artificial crab meat and genetically engineered salmon, and treat yourself to a protein packed Italian Baked Sardine dinner.
Serves: 20 sardines
Ingredients
20 fresh sardines, skin on, head off, scales removed, washed and patted dry
Enough bread crumbs to lightly cover all the sardines, about ½ cup
½ cup, chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C)
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Position the sardines on top, with the flesh side up.
Cover with a thin layer of bread crumbs and parsley.
Add olive oil to a bowl and mix with salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle the mixture over the sardines.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until the bread crumbs are golden brown. Serve warm
The sardine are then eaten whole, no need to remove the skin.
This breakfast bruschetta is my favorite recipe to get my day off on a delicious start. Packed with fresh vegetables and protein, it’s my go-to breakfast when I need a lot of energy to fuel me until lunch. This recipe is for one but can easily be multiplied for the whole family.
Notice how I created an Italian flag bruschetta? This wasn’t intentional but it did make me laugh after I had thrown together all of my favorite ingredients and the colors that dominated were red, green and white. Coincidence? Probably not, just my Italian-infatuated-mind taking control.
Be sure to pick up some Italian artisanal rustic bread, it really does make a difference on the overall taste. Rub the piece of bread with a clove of garlic if you like or you can skip that part and just drizzle the bread with a bit of olive oil before you stick it in the oven. Of course, if you are in a hurry you can always pop the slice of bread in the toaster.
Even when tomatoes are out of season, you can get a caramelized and intensified flavor simply by roasting them. This recipe only calls for five roasted tomatoes but it seems like a lot of effort to roast such a small portion so I usually do a whole tray full and keep the extras in the fridge (up to 5 days) or freezer (up to 6 months).
Left over roasted tomatoes are extremely versatile and can enhance the flavors of pastas, soups and sandwiches. In my gourmet grilled cheese sandwich I used fresh datterini tomatoes, but I’m sure it would be even more flavorful with these instead.
Giant green basil leaves add not only a vibrant color to the breakfast bruschetta, but also a burst of freshness. Try it out for yourself and let me know what you think!
This breakfast bruschetta makes for a delicious start to your day. Packed with fresh veggies and protein, it will keep your energy going until lunch time.
5 datterini, cherry or baby plum tomatos
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper, qb
1 small handful spinach, washed then chopped
1 spoonful pesto
1 egg
2 slices Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (otherwise known as Parmesean)
Small handful of fresh basil
4 walnuts, shelled
1 slice of rustic bread
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, add the tomatoes, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes. (I tend to make a large batch and keep the rest of the roasted tomatoes in the fridge (up to 5 days) or freezer (up to 6 months).
Meanwhile heat a small sauce pan with water over high heat.
In a small pan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the spinach and saute’ until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the pesto.
Once the water has boiled add a pinch of salt then reduce to a simmer. Gently crack in the egg. For a super runny egg, cook for about 2 minutes. For an egg yolk that is slightly runny it will take 3-4 minutes. With a slotted spoon life up the egg and gently wiggle to see if it is at the right consistency. You can tell by how much the yolk wiggles and if the egg white firms up. If it’s not, return it to the pan and cook for another minute. When the egg is done, take it out with a slotted spoon and let it drain for a few seconds over the pan. Gently blot with a paper towel.
Toast the bread in the toaster or stick it into the warm oven for a few minutes. I usually rub with garlic and drizzle with olive oil before putting it in the oven, but you can also skip this step.
Now we’re ready to stack the bruschetta. Place the warm bread on a plate. Add the spinach and the poached egg followed by the cheese, roasted tomatoes, basil and walnuts. Season with additional salt and pepper and enjoy!
Welcome to the world of delicious savoury vegetable pies.
This savoury vegetable pie is a delicious Italian appetizer.
From my experience, the Italian restaurants in America give us a biased point of view on Italian food :: cibo. Either it’s an Ital-american version run by an American who doesn’t even know what pasta “al dente”* is or it’s runs by a genuine Italian but who may only offer the most popular range of Italian food that Americans have come so accustom to: pizza, pasta, meat platters and cheese :: formaggio. Unfortunately, often missing from these menus are all the common dishes made in Italian homes that are eaten regularly.
*Cooking pasta “al dente” means that the pasta is slightly hard when you bite into it, not mushy.
Try this Italian appetizer at your book club, wine night or dinner party.
One of my favorite hidden italian recipes is the “torta salata”, or in English, “savoury pie”. This is a very typical appetizer :: antipastothat can be eaten straight out of the oven or made the a day ahead and stored in the fridge. It can also be served as a main dish for dinner :: cena. The beauty of these savoury pies, is that there are endless limits to new flavor creations. Here is one that I just invented because I had a craving for grated zucchini (yah, kind of random, I know) and Philadelphia Cheese but you can play around with this recipe to include any of your favorite cheeses, meats and/or vegetables to create your very own savoury pie masterpiece.
This recipe is super easy and versatile. Just use whatever vegetables and cheeses you have in the fridge.
I also try to pack my meals with additional health foods, like flaxseeds :: semi di lino which taste great, look great on top and are high in fiber and Omega-3 essential fatty acids. What are your favorite savoury pie flavor combinations?
This Italian savoury vegetable pie makes the perfect appetizer for book clubs, wine nights or dinner parties. It's a great dish to make a day in advance for stress free entertaining.
Serves: 3-6
Ingredients
½ tablespoon salt
1 eggplant, diced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 scallion, finely chopped
½ cup chopped parsley
2 carrots, grated
1 medium-sized zucchini, grated
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
6 ounces light cream cheese
Whole wheat store bought pastry dough
Flax seeds (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F
Add the diced eggplant to colander, add salt and toss well with your hands. This will take the bitterness out of the eggplant and prevent it from soaking up oil. Set in the sink as the liquid will drain, for at least 20 minutes.
Add the scallion to a large sauté pan coated with olive oil. Sauté over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally for 5-10 minutes. Stir in the grated zucchini and carrots to the pan along with a pinch of salt and black pepper to taste, cook for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Drain the eggplant, rinse with ice cold water then blot dry with a paper or tea towel. Add the eggplant to the pan and sauté for 10 minutes. Add the cream cheese, stir well and remove from heat.
Keeping the wax paper attached, place the pastry sheet in a 8 x 11 x 2 inch pan. Cut off the extra pastry dough that is hanging over the edge with cooking scissors. Cut the extra pastry dough into strips. Fill the pan with the vegetable and cheese mixture and place the pastry dough strips diagonally on the top from both angles to create a checkered image. Sprinkle flax seeds on top (optional).
Bake for 30-40 minutes in a ventilated oven, checking frequently. Once the top strips have turned golden cover with aluminium foil and continue baking until time has finished. (Check to make sure that the bottom is well cooked and continue baking a few minutes if needed.) Cool for 10 minutes, cut into squares and serve.
This recipe can also be made up to a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator; just take out the savory pie 15 minutes before serving. This savory pie can be served as an appetizer or as a main dish accompanied by a side dish or two.
You can serve these as an appetizer, side dish or main course. They also pair exceptionally well with some of my other seafood recipes like my Blood Orange Baked Sole or Fennel and Radicchio Shrimp Bruschetta if you want to offer your family or guests a variety :: varietà.
