Grilled sardines and tomato and anchovy pie – Irina Janakievska’s Balkan recipes for summer

A picture


Along the Adriatic coast, sardines are usually grilled over an open fire (na gradele) and served with lemon, excellent local olive oil and blitva, a side dish of young swiss chard, potato and garlic,Fresh sardines are key (they should smell of the sea) and do cook them whole (the heads add wonderful flavour and the small bones soften during cooking),On the Croatian island of Vis, two beloved pogačas (bread)– viška and komiška – tell a tale of friendly rivalry,Both are savoury bread pies (pogača being the word for bread and similar in both composition and etymology to Italian focaccia) filled with onions and salted fish (typically anchovies or sardines), a nod to the island’s ancient fishing and seafaring heritage,The key difference? Tomatoes.

In Vis town (one side of the island), they’re absent; in Komiža (the other side of the island), they’re essential and cooked down into a rich sauce.The tomato version is a perfect celebration of summer.The short fermentation time enhances the sauce’s depth of flavour, but not overpoweringly so – it is slightly funky, garlicky and spicy, but with a burst of freshness from the citrus and herbs.If you are adept at fermentation, feel free to leave it longer (seven to 14 days), because the flavour will get more complex with time.Once blended, the sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Prep 20 minFerment 72 hr+Marinate 15 min Cook 45 min Serves 4-6For the tomato sauce300g green tomatoes, roughly chopped1-2 long red or green chillies (30g), sliced, or more to taste1-2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced¼ tsp black peppercorns Flaky sea salt and black pepper 1 tsp caster sugar150ml filtered water, or boiled and cooled water3 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar, or apple cider vinegar 30g fresh parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped10g fresh oregano, leaves picked and finely choppedFor the sardines1-1.2kg fresh whole sardines (about 20-24 fish), gutted and descaled3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for cooking2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced2 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves stripped and finely chopped2 lemons, 1 zested and juiced, 1 cut into wedgesFresh bay leaves (optional)Start the sauce three or four days in advance.In a clean, sterilised 500ml jar, layer the tomatoes, chillies, garlic and peppercorns.Dissolve 3g salt and half a teaspoon of sugar in the filtered water, then pour this over the tomatoes, ensuring everything is submerged (use a fermentation weight or press down with a smaller sterilised jar).Cover loosely with a lid or cheese cloth and leave at room temperature for three to four days, stirring daily.

It should smell tangy, with bubbles forming by day two or three.To cook, drain the tomatoes (reserve the brine), transfer the mix to a food processor with the remaining half-teaspoon of sugar, the lemon juice and vinegar, and blend to a chunky or smooth sauce according to your preference.Stir in the herbs, then adjust the salt or acidity to taste; if need be, add a splash of reserved brine.Rinse the sardines under cold water, pat dry with paper towel and put in a shallow dish.In a small bowl, mix the oil, garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, a tablespoon of salt and half a teaspoon of ground black pepper, then coat the fish in this marinade and set aside for at least 15 minutes.

For outdoor cooking, prepare a barbecue and let the coals burn until they are covered with a layer of white ash.Oil the grates to prevent sticking or use a fish basket, and scatter bay leaves (if using) directly on to the hot coals.Lay the sardines perpendicular to the grates, so they won’t fall through (or in the basket) and grill for three to four minutes per side, until the skin is crisp and slightly charred and the flesh is opaque and flaky.(For indoor cooking, heat the grill to its highest setting, arrange the fish on a large lined baking sheet and grill for eight to 10 minutes.)Serve on a platter with lemon wedges and the tomato sauce in a bowl on the side.

Good-quality tomato puree is a great shortcut for fresh tomatoes, and I love adding olives for extra flavour.For a vegan version, use capers instead of anchovies.Pogača is traditionally made with a firmer dough, but I prefer this slow-prove, no-knead method for a lighter texture.Serve warm, cut into squares, with the best olive oil you can find.A glass of plavac mali wouldn’t go amiss, either.

Prep 15 min Prove 2 hr+ Cook 1 hr 30 min Serves 8-12For the dough10g fast-acting dry yeast 1 tbsp caster sugar, or honey525g lukewarm water750g strong white bread flour, sifted, plus extra for dustingFlaky sea salt and black pepper3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushingFor the filling4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil3-4 brown onions (about 750-800g), peeled, halved and sliced into thin half-moons2 tbsp tomato puree, ideally double concentrate50g tin anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained and the oil reserved100g pitted black olives (ideally in olive oil), quartered lengthways2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and roughly chopped10g fresh oregano, leaves stripped and roughly choppedMix the yeast, sugar and water in a small bowl and set aside for five to 10 minutes, until frothy.Combine the flour and a tablespoon of salt in a large bowl, make a well in the middle, then add the yeast mix and a tablespoon of oil and mix to a shaggy, sticky dough.Drizzle another tablespoon of oil over the dough, cover and leave to prove in a warm place for an hour to an hour and a half, until doubled in size.Knock back the dough: using a fork, lift and fold the edges of the dough up and over the centre, turning the bowl slightly each time.Repeat eight times, then shape back into a ball, cover and prove again for an hour to an hour and a half, until doubled in size.

Meanwhile, make the filling.Put the oil in a sauté pan on a medium-high heat.Add the onions, half a teaspoon of salt and three or four tablespoons of water, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes, until soft and golden.Stir in the tomato puree and a generous grind of black pepper, cook for another two or three minutes, then take off the heat and leave to cool.Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7 and brush a large 24cm x 34cm baking tin with the remaining oil.

Tip the dough on to a lightly floured work surface and divide it into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other.Flour your hands and roll each piece into a ball, then transfer the larger piece to the oiled tin.Using your fingertips, gently press and stretch the dough to cover the bottom of the tin.Spread the cooled onion mix over the dough, arrange the anchovies on top, and scatter on the olives, rosemary and oregano.Flour your hands again, stretch the second piece of dough, and place it over the filling.

Pinch and fold the edges to seal, then prick holes all over the top with a fork.Brush all over with the reserved anchovy oil and sprinkle over a generous pinch of flaked salt.Bake for 25-30 minutes, until deep golden brown.Remove and leave to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.Irina Janakievska’s book, The Balkan Kitchen, is published by Hardie Grant at £27.

To order a copy for £24.30, visit guardianbookshop.com
trendingSee all
A picture

FTSE 100 breaks 9,000-point barrier to reach new high

Britain’s blue-chip stock index has risen through the 9,000-point mark to reach a new high.The FTSE 100 share index hit 9,016.98 points in early trading on Tuesday, taking its gains during 2025 to more than 10%.Analysts said the London stock market had benefited from a range of factors this year, including a move by some investors to diversify away from US shares because of concerns about Donald Trump’s economic policies.The US president’s trade war has also helped UK stocks, as Britain is one of the few countries to have reached a trade deal guaranteeing lower tariffs

A picture

FTSE 100 share index hits 9,000 points for the first time; US inflation rate rises to 2.7% – as it happened

Newsflash: Britain’s blue-chip stock index has risen through the 9,000 point mark to hit a new record high.The FTSE 100 share index hit 9,016.98 points at the start of trading in London, up around 0.2% today, taking its gains during 2025 to over 10%.That’s a new intraday high for the “Footsie” (as it is known in City circles)

A picture

Elmo’s X account posts racist and antisemitic messages after being hacked

Hackers gained access to the X account of the puppet Elmo over the weekend and used it to post racist and antisemitic threats as well as make profane references to Jeffrey Epstein. Sesame Workshop was still trying to regain full control on Monday over the red character’s account.“Elmo’s X account was compromised by an unknown hacker who posted disgusting messages, including antisemitic and racist posts. We are working to restore full control of the account,” a Sesame Workshop spokesperson said on Monday. Sesame Workshop is the non-profit behind Sesame Street and Elmo

A picture

Musk’s giant Tesla factory casts shadow on lives in a quiet corner of Germany

Politics of carmaker’s owner has soured sentiments in Grünheide, south-east of Berlin, where the factory promised jobs and revitalisationWhen Elon Musk advised Germans to vote for the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) in elections last year, Manu Hoyer – who lives in the small town where the billionaire had built Tesla’s European production hub – wrote to the state premier to complain.“How can you do business with someone who supports rightwing extremism?” she asked Dietmar Woidke, the Social Democrat leader of the eastern state of Brandenburg, who had backed the setting up of the Tesla Giga factory in Grünheide.Hoyer said that in Woidke’s “disappointing, but predictable” answer, he denied the charge. “He said he didn’t know him personally. As if that excused him

A picture

Electric Archer lights up India classic to justify Test return for England

The electric return of Jofra Archer in England’s tight victory against India at Lord’s set straight a couple of narratives that arose during his four-year absence from Test cricket. It is often said that a player’s stock can rise when they are sat on the sidelines – yet sometimes, in some quarters, the reverse can also be true.Chief among them was a reminder that England possess a special fast bowling talent here, Archer displaying the attributes that set him apart from others. As the man himself confidently put it regarding the 89.6mph beauty to Rishabh Pant that angled in, nipped away and gave the snappers the stumplosion they craved: “I guess it was just a matter of when, if I kept bowling like that

A picture

Onley and Blackmore lead the charge of young Britons at Tour de France

For more than a decade, the interest in British riders racing in the Tour de France was focused on familiar names – Mark Cavendish, Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas – but now a new generation of English-speaking talent is making its mark on the world’s biggest race.Ben Healy, West Midlands-born but with Irish heritage, has been the revelation of the Tour so far, and was fully rewarded for his unrelenting efforts with the yellow jersey of race leadership on the Bastille Day stage to Puy de Sancy.Healy was briefly a teammate to Tom Pidcock as a teenager before shining as an under-23 rider. Success in the “Baby Giro” in Italy drew him to the attention of the American team, EF Education-EasyPost.More than his results, Healy’s approach to racing, free of the risk-averse tactics of some predecessors, is refreshing and exciting