Fig-Pecker Sardines - {Sarde A Beccatico}

Recipe Instructions Remove the heads of the sardines and pull out the backbones and entrails. Set the sardines aside. In a small saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs. Fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Set aside. In a large bowl, add 3 sliced lemons, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 tablespoon chili flakes and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Combine well and set aside for 1 hour. Finely chop the anchovies, pine nuts, and raisins. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine 3/4 of the bread crumbs, anchovies, pine nuts, raisins, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste. Using a wooden spoon, toss until well-blended. Use this filling to stuff each sardine, using your palms to gently fold each fish closed. Secure with toothpicks. Roll each sardine into a ball, starting at the tail end. Gently lay the sardines side by side in a baking dish, keeping them close so that they retain their shape. Sprinkle with salt. Scatter 6 bay leaves throughout the dish. Sprinkle the remaining bread crumbs over the sardines. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the juice of remaining lemon and 2 tablespoons sugar. Drizzle the sugared juice over the sardines. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the dish and bake until the sardines are cooked, about 30 minutes. Serve sardines with the lemon salad and sprinkle with chopped parsley. This recipe yields 4 servings.