Brodetto is the traditional fish stew of the Riviera Romagnola, and it is usually made form a mixture of fish -- whatever the fishermen were unable to sell. This is a single-fish variation for sardine season. To serve 4 you'll need:
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds (1.5 k) fresh sardines
- Olive oil
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- An onion, sliced finely
- 3-4 canned tomatoes, coarsely chopped, and the canning liquid
- Salt and an abundance of pepper
Preparation:
Begin by scaling and cleaning the sardines, and removing their heads. Wash them well, in sea water if you live near the coast in a place where the water is clean (the fishermen used to do this out at sea). Drain the fish in a colander.Take a broad pot, set it on the fire, and add a little olive oil -- just enough to keep things from sticking and burning -- followed by the garlic and the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent gold, and then add the tomatoes and their juice. Season to taste with sea salt (kosher salt will work well) and an abundance of freshly ground pepper. Simmer the sauce for about 15 minutes, covered, then add the fish and cook for another 7-8 minutes.
Serve the brodetto over toasted bread or with sea biscuits, and a light red wine along the lines of a Sangiovese di Romagna.
