Preparation

• Carefully remove the head and guts of the sardines, ensuring no remnants are left.
• Rinse the sardines under cold water and let them drain in a colander for a few minutes to remove excess water.
• Salt the sardines evenly with a light amount of fine salt.
• Fry the sardines without flouring them in well-heated extra virgin olive oil, approximately at 180°C. Fry them for 2-3 minutes per side, making sure they are not overcooked.
• As the sardines are fried, immediately transfer them to a deep tray or a bowl.
• In the same oil used to fry the sardines, add the peeled garlic cloves, bay leaves, and a sprig of thyme.
• When the garlic is golden (about 2-3 minutes), remove the pan from the heat and add a teaspoon of sweet paprika, stirring quickly to prevent it from burning.
• Important: Remove the pan from the heat before adding the vinegar to avoid flames. If the heat is on, the pan could catch fire, and the flames could be drawn into the exhaust hood, starting a fire.
• Next, add a generous splash of vinegar, about 100 ml, slowly and with caution.
• Attention: Do this with a long spatula or oven mitts, as the steam generated will be very hot.
• Pour this hot oil with all the garlic, bay leaf, and thyme over the sardines you have in the bowl.
• Let them marinate for 24 hours at room temperature to enhance the flavors.