Designed by Astrid Luglio and Ester Bianchi, the Scarpetta Collection is inspired by the Italian tradition of ‘scarpetta’ (dipping your bread). The universal gesture is very close to the heart of everyone who has enjoyed a delicious plate of pasta and after indulged in mopping up the tasty sauce left on the plate.
Each of the six porcelain-enameled, metal dishes contains a playful composition of sauce stains, food scans and table gestures. The abstract designs represent six diverse regions in Italy and their unique, traditional recipes, all telling an inviting story about the Italian food culture.
Sarde in Saor is one of the oldest dishes of the gastronomic tradition of Venice, dating back to the 13th century. This fisherman’s dish of sardines preserved in a marinade of sautéed onions is a reflection of the long journeys between the West and the East and the union of eastern spices with the local Venetian fish. Now a year-round presence, sarde in saor is traditionally prepared on the occasion of the Festa del Redentore on July 15th.
- Material: Porcelain enamel, aluminum
- Dimensions: Diameter 23cm
- Dishwasher safe
- Not suitable for microwave
Recipe by Valeria Necchio
Ingredients:
- 1kg whole sardines, gutted, scaled and heads removed
- 40g of plain flour, sifted
- sunflower oil, for frying
- 1kg white onion, finely sliced
- 160ml of white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- fine sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
- Rinse the sardines under cold water then pat dry with kitchen paper. Place the flour in a large bowl, add the sardines and toss to dust evenly. Shake off any excess.
- Fill two-thirds of a medium, high-sided frying pan with sunflower oil. Place it over medium-high heat and wait until it reaches 180°C.
- Slip in a batch of sardines (6–8, depending on size). Fry for a couple of minutes on each side, or until crisp outside and opaque inside. Drain and transfer to a plate covered with kitchen paper. Salt generously and repeat with the remaining sardines, working in batches.
- Discard the oil with the exception of a very thin film – just enough to coat the bottom of the frying pan. Set this back over medium heat, add the onions and sweat gently until very soft, stirring often so they don’t brown.
- Next, whisk the vinegar with the sugar and pour it in. Reduce the liquid to about half its volume, remove from the heat, taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Arrange a layer of sardines in a large glass bowl. Cover with a layer of white onions and then repeat in layers until you have finished all the ingredients, finishing with onions. Pour any remaining cooking liquid on top.
- Leave to cool to room temperature before wrapping in cling film and setting in the fridge to marinate for 24 hours.
