Sicilian Fresh Sardines Stuffed with Pine Nuts and Raisins

Here’s a very popular Sicilian dish, often served as an appetizer. It is sometimes referred to as beccafico, a complicated reference to a bird that not only has good taste but also takes delight in eating ripe figs—thus a dish worthy of a gourmet!

Each sardine is rolled around a wonderful moist, savory stuffing of pine nuts, anchovies, and raisins and bound with bread crumbs. The stuffed fish are arranged attractively in a cazuela or stoneware baking dish with bay leaves and