Pintxo De Sardina Picante Recipe

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) or heat a skillet. Slice the baguette into 12 slices about 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) thick.

Brush both sides of each slice lightly with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Rub one side of each slice with the cut garlic clove, then sprinkle the rubbed side with 1/4 tsp sea salt.

Arrange on a baking sheet and toast in the oven 8–10 minutes until golden and crisp, or toast in a skillet over medium heat 2–3 minutes per side. Set aside to cool slightly.

If using canned sardines in oil, drain but reserve a tablespoon of the oil. If using fresh sardines, pan-sear fillets 1–2 minutes per side in 1 tablespoon olive oil until just cooked and flaky; remove bones if present.

Place sardine fillets on a plate. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp smoked paprika and 1/4 tsp hot paprika (or a pinch of cayenne) and gently press so the spices adhere.

Zest the half lemon and then squeeze 1/2 of the lemon over the sardines. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with 1/8 tsp black pepper. Gently toss or turn fillets so they’re evenly coated; keep whole if possible for placing on toasts.

Thinly slice the pickled guindilla peppers into rings or lengthwise strips. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Finely dice enough red onion to make about 1 tablespoon (1/16 cup) — you can rinse in cold water briefly if you want to mellow the bite.

In a small bowl combine the sliced peppers, halved tomatoes, diced red onion, 1 tsp sherry vinegar, 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, and 1/8 tsp salt. Toss gently and taste; adjust with a few more drops of vinegar or a pinch of salt if needed.

Allow the garnish to sit 5–10 minutes so flavors marry; drain any excess liquid before assembling to prevent soggy toasts.

Place toasted slices on a serving board, garlic-rubbed side up.

Lay one sardine fillet on each toast. If sardines are large, cut in half so each toast has a bite-sized piece — aim for 12 canapés total.

Top each sardine with a small spoonful of the pickled guindilla and tomato garnish, distributing peppers and tomato evenly so each pintxo gets a bit of heat and acidity.

Finish with a light drizzle of the optional spicy oil (about 1 tsp divided across all pintxos) for extra heat and shine, and a tiny sprinkle of smoked paprika if desired.

Serve immediately at room temperature so the toasts remain crisp. These are best eaten within 1 hour of assembly.