Spanish-Style Sardine Fritters | Tortitas de Sardinas

Step 1

Add the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the middle, crack in the egg and whisk it, then add in the sparkling water and whisk everything together until you get a smooth batter, then add in the shallot, garlic, parsley and season with sea salt & black pepper, then finely grate in the zest of half a lemon and mix everything together until well mixed

Step 2

Drain the can of sardines into a fine sieve with a bowl underneath, then gently break the sardines apart, add them into the bowl with the batter and mix together until well mixed

Step 3

Heat a large fry pan with a medium heat and add in the olive oil

Step 4

After a couple of minutes start adding in spoonfuls of the batter, all in a single layer and evenly spaced out, cook in batches, fry the fritters for 3 minutes per side or until golden fried, then transfer into a dish with paper towels

Step 5

Once all the fritters have been fried up, make the aioli, add the garlic into a mortar, along with the saffron and a pinch of sea salt, using a pestle pound down until you get a paste-like texture, then add in the mayonnaise, lemon juice, olive oil and season with a kiss of sea salt & black pepper, whisk together until you get a creamy sauce

Step 6

Transfer the aioli into a serving dish and decorate the fritters around it, garnish with fresh parsley, enjoy!