SARDINES IN OLIVE OIL RECIPES

Steps:

• Put the whole clementines in a saucepan and cover them with water. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 20–30 minutes until the clementines are tender. Remove them and set aside until cool enough to handle. Cut the fruit in half and, with the tip of a knife, remove and discard the pips. Put the skin and pulp in a food processor and blend to a paste.

  Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C. Grease a 20cm springform cake tin and line the bottom with baking parchment. Whisk the eggs, lemon zest and caster sugar in a bowl. Add the olive oil and beat until light and well combined. Add the clementine paste and stir, then fold in the ground almonds and baking powder.

  Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for about 50 minutes or until well risen and golden. The cake should have slightly shrunken from the sides and be springy to the touch. Leave it to cool in the tin on a wire rack while you make the syrup.

  Warm the sugar and lemon juice in a small pan until the sugar has dissolved. Make lots of small holes all over the cake with a piece of uncooked spaghetti and drizzle over the lemon syrup. Let the cake cool completely in the tin, then turn it out on to a serving plate. Dust with icing sugar and serve with whipped cream and orange segements if you like.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil
• Meanwhile, place the bread in a food processor (or blender) and pulse until uniform coarse breadcrumbs result, about 1 minute
• Set aside
• Pour the olive oil from the tin of sardines into a large pan and heat over medium heat
• Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute
• Add the breadcrumbs and stir continuously until golden brown and crunchy, about 4 minutes
• Remove from the heat to prevent burning, transfer the toasted breadcrumbs to a plate and set aside
• Clean the pan
• Heat the EVOO in the same pan over medium-high heat, add the onions and sauté until just caramelized, about 5 minutes
• Add the sardines, breaking them into pieces with a fork, and mix evenly with the onions
• Stir in the capers, parsley, lemon zest and red pepper flakes
• Squeeze in the juice from the lemon
• Mix the sauce gently and turn off the heat
• Cook the spaghetti in the boiling water until just al dente, about 7 minutes
• Drain and reserve ½ cup of the pasta water
• Add the spaghetti to the sauce, season to taste with salt and pepper and mix until evenly combined
• Turn the heat to medium, add the pasta water and cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute
• Sprinkle the pasta with the toasted breadcrumbs, reserving some for serving, then mix again
• Serve immediately, topping each portion with another pinch of breadcrumbs
• Garnish with a lemon wedge and sprig of parsley