Tangier-Style Fresh Sardines with Charmoula

Cooks in the northern Moroccan cities of Tangier and Tetuan use a locally made clay vessel called a tagra to cook fish over embers or in a baker’s oven. This oval, porous unglazed earthenware pan, made by potters near the River Oued Laou, which empties into the Mediterranean Sea, encourages slow evaporation of moisture during cooking while providing an unusual earthy flavor to fish dishes.

In this recipe, fresh sardines are layered between beds of sliced peppers, tomatoes, po