Oven Baked Greek Sardines

Delicious oven baked sardines with Greek flavours of Oregano, tomato, garlic and lots of extra virgin olive oil. They are cooked well to create an enjoyable crisp texture. Delicious with plain rice and buttery pan fried beetroot leaves (or fresh spinach). Also delicious with fresh bread.

30 minutes

40 minutes

180ºC

Ingredients

500g fresh sardines

- scales and heads removed, gutted and backbone lifted
Extra virgin Olive oil
Other
1 large fresh tomato

- grated
2 garlic cloves

- grated
Generous pinch of dried Oregano

- or fresh
1-2 pinches of pink Himalayan salt
Plenty of freshly ground black pepper
Garnish
Fresh lemon - slices
Eat With
Freshly cooked jasmine rice
Pan fried butter beetroot leaves

- or baby spinach leaves

Instructions

Prepare the oven proof baking dish:
01 Using a large flat bottomed baking tray or dish, splash the base with extra virgin olive oil.
Prepare sardines:
02 For baking these sardines will require to be scaled, heads and innards removed. I like to remove the backbone also. This is easy. Lay sardine on a flat chopping board and using a sharp knife widen the belly slit. Turn on its belly and gently press downwards to flatten, Using your fingers gently pull the backbone away from the flesh. Discard. Lay skin side down on the prepared baking tray/dish.
Assemble to bake in the oven:
03 Lay flat skin side down all the prepared sardines. Grate fresh tomato (and juice) all over the top. Grate the garlic also all over the fish, season with sea salt and black pepper finishing with a generous sprinkling of dried (or fresh) Oregano.
Cook:
04 Place tray in the oven and cook until well cooked and crispy to the touch.
Serve:
05 Enjoy hot with rice, pan fried beetroot leaves (or baby spinach leaves) and fresh lemon.

Notes

DEFINITELY ask your fishmonger to prepare the sardines for cooking i.e remove insides (gut), remove heads and all scales. If they will ask to remove the backbone, or remove yourself as it is easy. See my easy reel via instagram.