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Sarde in Saor

Serves 4 to 6 Entree seafood, Fish

Sarde in Saor

Sarde in Saor, a Venetian classic, is the kind of dish that transforms a simple catch into something memorable. Traditionally served as part of the Venetian feast of La Festa del Redentore, it reflects the city's knack for preserving the bounty of the sea with straightforward ingredients and no fuss. This home-style recipe is passed through generations, where the abundance of good olive oil and a pinch of salt are measured by feel rather than precision.

The dish should be a harmonious blend of sweet, tangy, and savory notes, with sardines mingling with softened onions, the slight acidity of white wine vinegar, and the subtle sweetness of pine nuts and raisins. The fish should be tender, the onions silky, and the overall feel, a comforting embrace of flavors that speaks of tradition and simplicity. It is a dish that, when done right, captures the soul of Venice in each bite.

Ingredients

  • 800 gfresh sardines — cleaned
  • 3onions — thinly sliced
  • 120 mlwhite wine vinegar
  • 80 gpine nuts
  • 60 graisins — soaked
  • 6 tbspextra virgin olive oil
  • to tastefine sea salt

Method

  1. Start by cleaning the sardines: remove the heads, guts, and scales, then rinse them under cold water. Pat them dry with paper towels to ensure they sear properly rather than stew in their own liquid. Set the sardines aside on a plate.
  2. Thinly slice the onions and set them aside. In a large skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they become soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. This will form the aromatic base of the dish.
  3. While the onions are cooking, soak the raisins in warm water for about 5 minutes to plump them up. Drain and set aside. Once the onions are ready, add the white wine vinegar to the skillet and let it simmer for a few minutes until the sharpness of the vinegar mellows and the mixture becomes fragrant.
  4. Remove the onion mixture from the skillet and set it aside. In the same skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and increase the heat to medium-high. Add the sardines in a single layer, cooking them for about 2-3 minutes on each side until they are just opaque and lightly golden. Shake the pan gently rather than stirring to keep the sardines intact.
  5. Once the sardines are cooked, remove them from the skillet and layer them in a shallow serving dish. Sprinkle each layer with a pinch of fine sea salt, the soaked raisins, and pine nuts. Pour the onion and vinegar mixture over the top, ensuring it covers the sardines evenly.
  6. Let the dish rest for at least a few hours, or ideally overnight in the refrigerator, to allow the flavors to meld together. Before serving, bring the dish to room temperature and drizzle with a little more olive oil if desired. Serve the Sarde in Saor with crusty bread to soak up the flavorful sauce.
Cover of Authentic Italian Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Italian Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Italian Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Italian volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

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