Difficulty: Medium (3/5)
Ask your fishmonger to scale, gut, and prepare the sardines by removing the heads and central bone while keeping the fillets attached. Rinse under cold water and pat dry thoroughly. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Prepare the stuffing: Peel and finely chop the onion. Pulse the breadcrumbs in a food processor to a coarse semolina-like texture. Rinse the mint leaves and chop finely.
Heat half the olive oil in a 22 cm non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the pine nuts and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the breadcrumbs, sugar, paprika, salt, and pepper for 1 minute. Remove from heat, then stir in the orange juice and vinegar. Transfer to a bowl, add the raisins and mint, and mix well.
Preheat the oven to 250°C (thermostat 8). Lightly oil a 26 x 18 cm baking dish. Lay each sardine skin-side down on a board. Place 1/12 of the stuffing near the head end, pressing it firmly between your palms. Roll loosely from head to tail and arrange in the dish as you go.
Drizzle with the remaining oil. Bake for 25 minutes. Serve hot, warm, or cold for a delightful Mediterranean appetizer.
Source: La Cuisine des Parfums (Scotto Sisters)
