Description
Deliciously crispy fried sardines, perfect as an appetizer or light main dish, packed with Mediterranean flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) fresh whole sardines, cleaned
- 10 g (1 3/4 tsp) kosher salt
- 1 medium lemon, zested and cut into wedges
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 150 g (1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 50 g (1/3 cup) fine semolina or fine cornmeal
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp paprika (optional)
- 1 liter (4 cups) neutral frying oil (peanut, sunflower, or vegetable)
- 15 g (1/4 cup) fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the sardines and pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with kosher salt and let them sit for 5 minutes. If necessary, rinse off any excess salt and pat them dry again.
- In a shallow tray, combine the all-purpose flour, semolina, ground black pepper, and paprika. Whisk to blend well.
- Lightly dust each sardine in the coating mix, shaking off the excess, and place them on a wire rack to set for one minute.
- Heat the neutral oil in a skillet to 180°C (350°F). You can use a thermometer or perform the bread test to check the oil temperature.
- Fry the sardines in single layers for about 90–120 seconds per side until they turn golden and crispy. Once done, drain them on a wire rack.
- Toss the hot sardines with grated garlic and chopped parsley, then squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges.
Notes
Enjoy immediately for optimal crispiness. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 40mg