Along nan Adriatic coast, sardines are usually grilled complete an unfastened occurrence (na gradele) and served pinch lemon, fantabulous section oliva lipid and blitva, a broadside crockery of young swiss chard, murphy and garlic. Fresh sardines are cardinal (they should smell of nan sea) and do navigator them full (the heads adhd awesome flavour and nan mini bones soften during cooking). On nan Croatian land of Vis, 2 beloved pogačas (bread)– viška and komiška – show a communicative of friends rivalry. Both are savoury breadstuff pies (pogača being nan connection for breadstuff and akin successful some creation and etymology to Italian focaccia) filled pinch onions and salted food (typically anchovies aliases sardines), a motion to nan island’s ancient sportfishing and seafaring heritage. The cardinal difference? Tomatoes. In Vis municipality (one broadside of nan island), they’re absent; successful Komiža (the different broadside of nan island), they’re basal and cooked down into a rich | sauce. The herb type is simply a cleanable ceremony of summer.
Sardele na gradele (grilled sardines) pinch quick-fermented herb sauce
The short fermentation clip enhances nan sauce’s extent of flavour, but not overpoweringly truthful – it is somewhat funky, garlicky and spicy, but pinch a burst of freshness from nan citrus and herbs. If you are adept astatine fermentation, consciousness free to time off it longer (seven to 14 days), because nan flavour will get much analyzable pinch time. Once blended, nan condiment will support successful nan fridge for up to a week.
Prep 20 min
Ferment 72 hr+
Marinate 15 min
Cook 45 min
Serves 4-6
For nan herb sauce
300g greenish tomatoes, astir chopped
1-2 agelong reddish aliases greenish chillies (30g), sliced, aliases much to taste
1-2 ail cloves, peeled and sliced
¼ tsp black peppercorns
Flaky oversea brackish and black pepper
1 tsp caster sugar
150ml filtered water, aliases boiled and cooled water
3 tbsp citrus juice
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar, aliases pome cider vinegar
30g caller parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped
10g caller oregano, leaves picked and finely chopped
For nan sardines
1-1.2kg caller full sardines (about 20-24 fish), gutted and descaled
3 tbsp extra-virgin oliva oil, positive other for cooking
2 ail cloves, peeled and minced
2 caller rosemary sprigs, leaves stripped and finely chopped
2 lemons, 1 zested and juiced, 1 trim into wedges
Fresh bay leaves (optional)
Start nan condiment 3 aliases 4 days successful advance. In a clean, sterilised 500ml jar, furniture nan tomatoes, chillies, ail and peppercorns. Dissolve 3g brackish and half a spoon of sweetener successful nan filtered water, past move this complete nan tomatoes, ensuring everything is submerged (use a fermentation weight aliases property down pinch a smaller sterilised jar). Cover loosely pinch a lid aliases food cloth and time off astatine room somesthesia for 3 to 4 days, stirring daily. It should smell tangy, pinch bubbles forming by time 2 aliases three.
To cook, drain nan tomatoes (reserve nan brine), transportation nan operation to a nutrient processor pinch nan remaining half-teaspoon of sugar, nan citrus juice and vinegar, and blend to a chunky aliases soft condiment according to your preference. Stir successful nan herbs, past set nan brackish aliases acidity to taste; if request be, adhd a scatter of reserved brine.
Rinse nan sardines nether acold water, pat barren pinch insubstantial towel and put successful a shallow dish. In a mini bowl, operation nan oil, garlic, rosemary, citrus zest, a tablespoonful of brackish and half a spoon of crushed achromatic pepper, past overgarment nan food successful this marinade and group speech for astatine slightest 15 minutes.
For outdoor cooking, hole a barbecue and fto nan coals pain until they are covered pinch a furniture of achromatic ash. Oil nan grates to forestall sticking aliases usage a food basket, and scatter bay leaves (if using) straight connected to nan basking coals. Lay nan sardines perpendicular to nan grates, truthful they won’t autumn done (or successful nan basket) and grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until nan tegument is crisp and somewhat charred and nan soma is opaque and flaky. (For indoor cooking, power nan grill to its highest setting, put nan food connected a ample lined baking expanse and grill for 8 to 10 minutes.)
Serve connected a platter pinch citrus wedges and nan herb condiment successful a vessel connected nan side.
Komiška pogača

Good-quality herb puree is simply a awesome shortcut for caller tomatoes, and I emotion adding olives for other flavour. For a vegan version, usage capers alternatively of anchovies. Pogača is traditionally made pinch a firmer dough, but I for illustration this slow-prove, no-knead method for a lighter texture. Serve warm, trim into squares, pinch nan champion oliva lipid you tin find. A solid of plavac mali wouldn’t spell amiss, either.
Prep 15 min
Prove 2 hr+
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 8-12
For nan dough
10g fast-acting barren yeast
1 tbsp caster sugar, aliases honey
525g lukewarm water
750g beardown achromatic breadstuff flour, sifted, positive other for dusting
Flaky oversea salt and black pepper
3 tbsp extra-virgin oliva oil, positive other for brushing
For nan filling
4 tbsp extra-virgin oliva oil
3-4 brownish onions (about 750-800g), peeled, halved and sliced into bladed half-moons
2 tbsp herb puree, ideally double concentrate
50g tin anchovy fillets successful oliva oil, drained and nan lipid reserved
100g pitted achromatic olives (ideally successful oliva oil), quartered lengthways
2 sprigs caller rosemary, leaves stripped and astir chopped
10g caller oregano, leaves stripped and astir chopped
Mix nan yeast, sweetener and h2o successful a mini vessel and group speech for 5 to 10 minutes, until frothy.
Combine nan flour and a tablespoonful of brackish successful a ample bowl, make a good successful nan middle, past adhd nan yeast operation and a tablespoonful of lipid and operation to a shaggy, sticky dough. Drizzle different tablespoonful of lipid complete nan dough, screen and time off to beryllium successful a lukewarm spot for an hr to an hr and a half, until doubled successful size.
Knock backmost nan dough: utilizing a fork, assistance and fold nan edges of nan mixed up and complete nan centre, turning nan vessel somewhat each time. Repeat 8 times, past style backmost into a ball, screen and beryllium again for an hr to an hr and a half, until doubled successful size.
Meanwhile, make nan filling. Put nan lipid successful a sauté cookware connected a medium-high heat. Add nan onions, half a spoon of brackish and 3 aliases 4 tablespoons of water, past cook, stirring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes, until soft and golden. Stir successful nan herb puree and a generous grind of achromatic pepper, navigator for different 2 aliases 3 minutes, past return disconnected nan power and time off to cool.
Heat nan oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7 and brushwood a ample 24cm x 34cm baking tin pinch nan remaining oil. Tip nan mixed connected to a lightly floured activity aboveground and disagreement it into 2 pieces, 1 somewhat larger than nan other. Flour your hands and rotation each portion into a ball, past transportation nan larger portion to nan oiled tin. Using your fingertips, mildly property and agelong nan mixed to screen nan bottommost of nan tin. Spread nan cooled bulb operation complete nan dough, put nan anchovies connected top, and scatter connected nan olives, rosemary and oregano.
Flour your hands again, agelong nan 2nd portion of dough, and spot it complete nan filling. Pinch and fold nan edges to seal, past prick holes each complete nan apical pinch a fork. Brush each complete pinch nan reserved anchovy lipid and sprinkle complete a generous pinch of flaked salt. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until heavy aureate brown. Remove and time off to cool for astatine slightest 15 minutes earlier slicing and serving.
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Irina Janakievska’s book, The Balkan Kitchen, is published by Hardie Grant astatine £27. To bid a transcript for £24.30, sojourn guardianbookshop.com