Grilled sardines with gremolata sauce and crispy pita bread

Smoke. 🙂

That’s really all I need to say. But trust me: it’s totally worth it! This dish is delicious, easy to make, and incredibly flavorful, with a gremolata sauce that’s simply to die for. 😄

If you have the chance to cook it on an outdoor grill or stove, even better. I was a bit too lazy to start a fire outside, so I made it at home on the indoor grill instead.

The window was wide open, the hood on full blast, and the kitchen door firmly closed. Once you’re done cooking, I recommend leaving the kitchen for about half an hour with the window open and the hood still running, to air it out properly. Just keep the door closed, of course! 😄

Ingredients: (for approximately 4-5 servings)

• 1 kg sardines (I used frozen, but fresh ones are even better)
• 1 lemon
• Dried thyme
• Coarse salt
• 1 large bunch of parsley
• 5-6 fresh flatbreads (lipii)
• 1 small head of garlic
• 1 coffee cup of olive oil

Preparation:

Rinse the sardines and place them in a bowl. Toss them with about half of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Mix everything thoroughly, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

In a food processor, prepare the gremolata sauce by combining the remaining olive oil, peeled garlic, grated lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley. Blend until the mixture is smooth.

Once the sauce is ready, remove the sardines from the fridge. Heat the grill thoroughly and cook the sardines on both sides without adding any oil. When they’re done, sprinkle them with dried thyme.

After cooking the sardines, clean the grill (or use a fresh one if available) and lightly toast the pita breads on both sides.

To serve: Spread a generous layer of gremolata sauce on the plate, then arrange as many sardines as you like on top. Add a few pieces of toasted pita bread on the side, and voilà! You have a healthy, delicious, visually appealing, and full-flavored meal ready to enjoy.

If you try the recipe, let me know how you liked it! 😊

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