Sarde a Beccafico (Sicilian Stuffed Sardines)

• 45 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 90 g Breadcrumbs, preferably coarse and dry
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 15 g Fresh parsley
• 30 g Pine nuts
• 35 g Raisin
• 1 medium Lemon
• 1 tsp Fine sea salt
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 16 pieces Sardine, butterflied, boned
• 6 pieces Bay leaves

1. Heat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Lightly oil a baking dish with a little of the olive oil.
2. Warm 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, then toast the breadcrumbs for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly golden. Tip into a mixing bowl and let cool for a minute.
3. Finely grate the garlic into the bowl, then add the parsley, pine nuts and raisins. Finely grate in a little lemon zest, then season with the fine sea salt and black pepper and mix well.
4. Lay the sardines skin-side down and spoon a little stuffing onto each one. Roll up from tail to head to make neat spirals, then place seam-side down in the baking dish, snugly packed.
5. Tuck the bay leaves between the rolls, then drizzle over the remaining olive oil. Squeeze over half the lemon juice, then bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the sardines are just cooked and opaque.
6. Rest for 2 minutes, then squeeze over a little more lemon juice to taste. Serve warm with the pan juices spooned over.

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