Restaurants›Verona›Sardine Alla Griglia Recipe

Sardine Alla Griglia Recipe

Inspired by Verona

Time30m

Serves2

fresh grilled sardines drizzled with extra virgin olive oil

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Ingredients

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Sardines & Seasoning

1 lb fresh whole sardines, gutted and scaled1 tsp sea salt1 tsp freshly ground black pepper2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced1 lemon, zested and cut into wedges

Finish & Garnish

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

For Serving (optional)

4 toasted rustic bread or crostini

Method

Prepare Sardines

Clean and dry

Rinse the gutted, scaled sardines under cold water and pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels inside and out. Moisture prevents good charring.

Season

Lay the sardines on a tray. Sprinkle sea salt and freshly ground black pepper evenly over both sides and inside the cavity. Gently place the thinly sliced garlic inside a few of the cavities and scatter a little lemon zest over the top of the fish.

Grilling

Preheat grill

Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high (about 425–450°F / 220–230°C). If using a grill pan, preheat it on the stovetop until very hot and lightly oil the grates/pan.

Oil the fish and grates

Brush both sides of the sardines lightly with 1 tablespoon of the extra virgin olive oil to prevent sticking, and brush the grill grates or pan with oil.

Grill the sardines

Place sardines on the hot grill in a single layer. Grill for 2.5–3 minutes per side, without moving them, until the skin is crisp and charred in spots and the flesh is opaque and flakes easily. Flip carefully with a thin spatula or fish turner to keep the fish intact.

Finish & Serve

Drizzle and dress

Transfer the grilled sardines to a platter. Immediately drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over the hot fish. Sprinkle chopped parsley and red pepper flakes (if using) over the top. Squeeze lemon wedges over each sardine to taste.

Serve

Serve the Sardine Alla Griglia hot with toasted rustic bread or crostini to soak up the olive oil and juices. Offer additional lemon wedges at the table.