Sardine appetizer (Sardeles)

Ingredients:

• 900 g (about 16-20 pcs.) small sardines
• 450 g dried and ground gray sea salt
• 60 ml lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
• 60 ml olive oil
• 1 tbsp finely chopped oregano
• 4 sliced ​​tomatoes
• 20 pitted Kalamata olives
• 1 small loaf of sliced ​​country bread

Preparation:

1. Clean the sardines by cutting off the heads and tails with scissors. Then cut along the spine to open the fish. Don't cut all the way through. Remove the spine.
   
   Sprinkle the inside of the sardines with gray salt and fold the fillets in. Sprinkle the outside with salt and place in a shallow small plate. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
2. Rinse the fish well and cut into fillets.
   
   In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, and oregano. Arrange the tomatoes on a serving platter and top with the sardine fillets. Drizzle the lemon mixture over the fish. Top with olives and serve with rustic bread as an appetizer.