Heat the oven to 2200C. In a bowl, add the Chabata crumbs, the fennel, pine nuts and marjoram. Add plenty of salt and pepper and olive oil and mix well. Make “sandwiches” placing the Chabata mixture in between every 2 sardine fillets, wrap them firmly with pancetta and steady them with the rosemary twigs or toothpicks.
Spread the stuffed sardines on an oven proof dish and cook in the oven for around 8 minutes. Serve hot or warm with the rocket/tomato salad.
Note: to roast the pine nuts, put them in a non-stick frying pan without oil, on a low heat and stir continuously until they change colour. Place them in a bowl immediately so as not to overcook in the frying pan.
Ingredients:
½ bulb of fennel, with
its leaves finely chopped
1 cup ground Chabata bread in the blender without the crust
½ cup pine nuts, slightly roasted (see note)
1 tbsp marjoram without the petals
3-4 tbsps olive oil
8 thin slices of Italian pancetta
8 fresh sardines cleaned and separated into fillets
8 rosemary twigs
or toothpicks
Sea salt, ground black pepper
Rocket salad/ tomato
for serving
