SARDINES - Why They Are Good for You

I believe it’s never too late to treat your body right.  And one way I treat my body right is by eating healthy.  As we grow older, one of the foods important for brain function is oily fish like Sardines or Anchovies.

Fresh sardines - Sarde fresche

The essential fatty acids found in sardines can help prevent "senior moments" by protecting the membranes that cover our brain cells. The fatty acids can also reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular disease and may also help lower blood sugar levels. They are also a good source of vitamin D, calcium, B12, and protein.

All fish, but especially sardines because they contain fat, if not fresh the flavor is altered.
Signals to recognize that fish is fresh even for the less experienced:
The skin must be humid and shiny
The scales must be compact
The body must be rigid and have an ocean smell

Sardines will preserve all flavors if the cooking is fast and simple.

Broiled or grilled fresh sardines with garlic, parsley, black pepper and a good drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil

If a good fishmonger is not nearby, look for canned, smoked, or pickled sardines. When buying them canned, look for the ones packed in their own oil, olive oil, or water rather than in soybean or cottonseed oil.

Canned Sardine Salad

In my household, we also love salted sardines or anchovies.

      One of my favorite brands of anchovies

Another dish which I have bee eating since childhood, is
Cabbage with Cornbread and Fried Sardines - Verza con Pizza di Granturco e Sarde Fritte

1 cabbage
2 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 cup olive oil (fry sardines or anchovies in it and later pour over cabbage).  See below.
2 chilies or red pepper flakes
Pinch of black pepper
Adjust salt if necessary

Cornbread recipe.    Cook cabbage and set aside.

Fried sardines and peppers

Fried Sardines
Ingredients for 2 persons
8 sardines or anchovies
2 tablespoons of flour
1/2 cup olive oil

Being that sardines or anchovies are salted, they must be rinsed and sit in water for an hour.  Water should be changed often to remove salt.  Drain and pat dry.  Dust sardines with flour and fry in hot oil about 5 minutes.  Set aside.  In the same oil, add chopped garlic, few hot or sweet chilies, black pepper and simmer for 5 minutes and pour over the cooked cabbage.  Serve with cornbread and fried sardines or anchovies.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/15/dining/sardine-recipe.html?_r=0

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/11/health/nutrition/11recipehealth.html

http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/healthtrending/eating-this-food-can-ease-a-painful-condition-affecting-millions/ar-BBEioM7?ocid=ob-fb-enus-280

Home-made Pasta Maritata (Sagne maritate)

Spring is here!  The fresh mint appeared in the yard and so has the fresh garlic. 

            Mint growing

Fresh garlic

It's time to make sagne maritate (married pasta).  It's called "married" because the pasta marries (si sposa) with other ingredients.  This is an old family recipe.

All photo Copyright - ©2011 - La Casa e Il Giardino - picasaweb

Ingredients (Sauce)

1/2 cup chopped mint

1/4 cup chopped fresh garlic (if available)

Alternate 3 cloves of minced garlic

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes in oil (if available)

Salt and pepper

Dough

4 cups flour (all purpose, or half all purpose and half semolina flour)
Pinch of salt

3 medium eggs
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Water (tepid) as required

Place the flour mixture on a pastry board and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs, olive oil, salt and a small amount of water (if needed). Begin to stir the flour from the outside of the well into the wet ingredients. Continue this process until the dough holds together in a ball. Let it rest for 30 minutes. Stretch the dough with the pin and roll out (not to thin). Cut the dough in rectangles and then in squares using a dough wheel to create the edging.

In a large pot of boiling water, add the pasta and cook just for a few minutes.  Drain (not totally) and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.  Put cooked pasta back into the pot.  Add reserved water.  Place pasta pot on the stove over low heat. Add the minced mint, garlic, walnuts, red pepper flakes, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir gently and mix well. Cook the pasta for few minutes and serve immediately.