Preparation:

Mix the coarse sea salt with the fennel seeds. Then moisten the clay tiles or wood planks (do not moisten your deflector plates if using these) and place the freshly washed fig leaves on top. Place the whole sardines in an orderly fashion and sprinkle with a little fennel salt.

Cook directly at 250 degrees for about 7 minutes closed and smoke with dry vine branches. A toasted country bread with garlic goes well with this.

If fig leaves or vine leaves are not available, a moistened lettuce leaf can also be used. Please do not scale or gut the sardines.