Crostini with marinated sardines

No one will be able to resist this snack that we propose to you today. It is a Crostini with marinated sardines made in a very special way: a preparation of fresh, fried and marinated sardines on toasted country bread, topped with a delicious pickled radish and onion. Are you up for it?

With this Italian-inspired recipe we debut the new WMF Fusiontec cast iron tray . Could it be more elegant and special? Suitable for both the stove and the oven, I think few will be able to resist its charm... and the charm of the recipe either! These toasts with marinated sardines are a luxury, like this beautiful tray we use today to cook them.

If you're not used to the term, crostini are an Italian appetizer that consists of slices of toasted bread with seasoning on top. Whether it's meat, fish or vegetables, they're a perfect snack for a snack, a starter or a dinner. They're going to be the popular skewers that we have here, but without a skewer... and on toasted bread. Today we're preparing them in generous bite sizes, and they're undoubtedly delicious. I hope you like the recipe.

Ingredients

For the pickles :

• 1 bunch of radishes
• 2 red onions
• 180 ml of apple cider vinegar
• 180 ml white wine vinegar
• 40 g of cane sugar
• 1/2–1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp grain mustard

For the sardines :

• 1 kg of fresh and clean sardines
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 2 organic lemons
• Salt
• Pepper
• 4 tbsp olive oil

To serve:

• 8 slices of whole wheat bread (black bread or similar)
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 fennel with leaves

WMF FusionTec 3-in-1 cast iron pan

Preparation

1. To marinate the pickles, bring the two vinegars to the boil with 180 ml of water, the sugar, salt and grain mustard in the Fusiontec tall cocotte .
2. Meanwhile, clean the radishes, wash them and cut them into very thin slices. Peel the onions and cut them into thin rings.
3. Add the radishes and onions to the marinade liquid in the cocotte, remove the pan from the heat and let cool.
4. Wash the sardines in cold water and dry them with kitchen paper.
5. Crush the fennel seeds in a mortar. Wash the lemons, finely grate the zest and squeeze out the juice. Season the sardines on both sides with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the crushed fennel seeds.
6. Heat a little oil in the FusionTec baking tray and place it on the stove ( the tray is suitable for the stove, but if you prefer you can also grill them in the oven, on the same tray). Grill the sardines on both sides for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with a little lemon juice and serve.
7. Cut the slices of bread in half, place them on the Fusiontec tray where you have grilled the sardines so that they toast on both sides, pouring a little oil on top.
8. Remove the slices, let them cool and rub them with a clove of garlic cut in half. Clean the fennel, reserving the leaves and cut the fennel head into thin slices.
9. Mix well in a bowl with a little lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and the rest of the olive oil. Let it rest for a moment.
10. To serve, place a small amount of fennel salad on each slice of bread, place the sardines on top, add a spoonful of the pickled radishes and onions and garnish with a few fennel leaves and lemon zest.

WMF FusionTec 3-in-1 cast iron pan