Sarde in saor – Traditional Venetian Sweet and Sour Sardines

Preparation

1. 01

   Step 01

   Clean the sardines, remove the bones, and fillet them. Lightly salt both sides and let them rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

2. 02

   Step 02

   Place the flour on a wide plate. Dredge the sardine fillets in the flour and shake off the excess.

3. 03

   Frying

   Heat half the olive oil (75 ml) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the sardines in a single layer and pan-fry until golden on both sides, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

4. 04

   cook over low heat

   Add the remaining olive oil to the same skillet along with the thinly sliced onions. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and golden caramelized, about 30-35 minutes.

5. 05

   cook over low heat

   Add the white wine vinegar, sugar, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to the onions. Cook over low heat until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, about 10-15 minutes more.

6. 06

   Step 06

   Add the pine nuts and raisins to the onion sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes more, then remove from heat. Discard the bay leaf.

7. 07

   Step 07

   Place a layer of fried sardines in a shallow serving dish and spread half the onion sauce over top. Add a second layer of sardines and pour the remaining sauce over. Let rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight in the refrigerator.