How to make
Wash the sprat well and remove the heads and innards. Arrange them in a glass container (I use a glass cook pot), sprinkle generously with sea salt and let them sit, covered with plastic wrap, for 12 hours in the fridge.
Next, rinse the fish and soak them for 6 hours in vinegar. Arrange the fish in jars, with black pepper, allspice grains and bay leaf or an oregano bunch if desired.
Heat the oil until it lights up. I remember the advice of my father (a long-time fisherman): braise a bread crust in the oil, that way the oil retains its taste qualities and doesn't go rancid.
Pour it into the jars. Close the jars with caps and store in a cool area. There's no exact quantities, it all depends on the amount of fish you'd like to marinade.
There's many options for serving. Here's 2 of them:
- with toast, garnished with a lettuce leaf and leek slices.
- as a cold appetizer with lemon juice and roundly sliced red onions.
