Recipe : Sardine Dolma's (sardine balls in sauce)

 

Here is an Algerian dish that I like and that we commonly call in our Algerian dialect dolma Sardine batata {Dolma which means dumplings,  sardine and batata which means potato.

A dish that is fairly quick to prepare and which can be varied ad infinitum, instead of potatoes there is dolma bel quernoun (artichokes), dolma bel djelbanna (peas) etc ...

Sardine and potato dolma is a kind of tagine in a red sauce flavored with spices and bay leaf. It also occurs during the month of Ramadan, we like to accompany this dish with a good matloua or homemade bread.

And if you have an egg white left, now is the time to use it in the stuffing.

Sardines are excellent omega-3s thanks to their high fat content and an excellent source of Calcium.

Prepare the stuffing:

Break the head of the sardine.

Empty the sardine, grab the ridge and walk along it, pinching with your fingers to loosen the double fillets.

Rinse the sardines well and crush them by hand (if you do not have a chopper), adding a handful of rice (this helps to crush the sardines well by kneading them).

Place the chopped sardines in a bowl, add the salt, pepper, cumin, parsley, half the head of garlic and the egg white.

Shape into meatballs and refrigerate while preparing the sauce.

In a Dutch oven or pot, heat the oil and prepare the dersa by mixing the remaining garlic cloves, salt, pepper, cumin and paprika in the mortar. Mash everything well and add a little water.

When the oil is hot, pour in the dersa and a small glass of water.

Add 1 tbsp of tomato paste and mix with a wooden spoon. Add the bay leaf.

Moisten with water (approximately 1/2 L) and to the first broth add the peeled, rinsed, patted potatoes and cut into quarters.

In the next broth add the sardine balls and cook quietly.

Serve hot, sprinkling with chopped parsley …… .and with a good homemade matloua 

Enjoy!

😍😎