TINNED SARDINES BAKED IN BREADCRUMBS

I can’t tell you when I first made this dish. Maybe it was in uni? Or when I had gotten one of my first jobs. It is for sure not the first time someone has added breadcrumbs to something however this dish is from what you have in the pantry or fridge.

It is for those nights when you are feeling low on effort and low on finances. It is super comforting and extremely nourishing. It is the perfect winter dish as per 100g Sardines have 24% of your daily Vitamin D and 30% of your daily Calcium requirements.

I usually add this alongside any veg at home so if that’s is a white or sweet potato I will pop those on I will go pick up a bag of rocket.

Healthy, comforting and affordable is all we want from our food sometimes and this dish is it.

Ingredients

2-3 tins of Sardines in oil

100g stale bread or panko bread crumbs

50g parmesan grated

2 tbsp of pine nuts (can use almonds also)

1 egg lightly beaten

2 tbsp of capers

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 tsp of fennel seeds

Parsley and Dill (optional)

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.

Drain all the oil from the sardines and remove each one trying to delicately open them up. If they crumble that’s ok just place them on a baking tray.

Lightly beat the egg into a medium sized bowl. Add the grated parmesan, pine nuts, capers, fennel seeds, salt, pepper and breadcrumbs to the egg mixture.

Stir to combine. The mixture should be just wet. If it is looking a bit dry beat another egg in another bowl and add more as you need.

Cover the sardines with the breadcrumb mixture and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve with a squeeze of lemon.