Sardine pâté
In Portugal sardine pâté is a classic petisco, the snack served with wine. It is made from canned sardines mashed with butter and cream cheese, seasoned with lemon, onion and parsley. Portuguese and Spanish sardines in olive oil beat cheap ones in vegetable oil — firmer flesh, fuller flavour. The spread takes a quarter of an hour and after half an hour in the fridge it is ready for toast. Two 120 g tins make a full bowl of snack for four.
Your own work in that: 15 min.
- Preparation 15 min
- Chilling 30 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneDrain the sardines
Drain the sardines and lay them on a plate. Remove the backbones if noticeable — the fine bones can stay, they are soft and edible.
Ingredients: 170 g sardines in olive oil, drained (2 tins of 120 g) · 100 g cream cheese · 40 g butter, soft · ½ pcs onion, finely chopped · 1 pcs lemon, juice and zest · 3 tbsp parsley · ½ tsp black pepper · ¼ tsp chilli flakes
Drained sardines, backbones removed.Mash the fish
Mash the sardines to a paste with a fork. Do not use a blender — it turns gluey and loses all texture.
Ingredients: 170 g sardines in olive oil, drained (2 tins of 120 g) · 100 g cream cheese · 40 g butter, soft · ½ pcs onion, finely chopped · 1 pcs lemon, juice and zest · 3 tbsp parsley · ½ tsp black pepper · ¼ tsp chilli flakes
Add the fats
Add the soft butter and cream cheese and work smooth with the fork.
Ingredients: 170 g sardines in olive oil, drained (2 tins of 120 g) · 100 g cream cheese · 40 g butter, soft · ½ pcs onion, finely chopped · 1 pcs lemon, juice and zest · 3 tbsp parsley · ½ tsp black pepper · ¼ tsp chilli flakes
A fork, not a blender.Prepare the onion
Chop the onion very finely. If it is harsh, scald it with boiling water for a minute and drain.
Ingredients: 170 g sardines in olive oil, drained (2 tins of 120 g) · 100 g cream cheese · 40 g butter, soft · ½ pcs onion, finely chopped · 1 pcs lemon, juice and zest · 3 tbsp parsley · ½ tsp black pepper · ¼ tsp chilli flakes
Season
Stir in the onion, lemon juice and zest, chopped parsley, pepper and chilli. Salt is rarely needed — sardines bring plenty.
Ingredients: 170 g sardines in olive oil, drained (2 tins of 120 g) · 100 g cream cheese · 40 g butter, soft · ½ pcs onion, finely chopped · 1 pcs lemon, juice and zest · 3 tbsp parsley · ½ tsp black pepper · ¼ tsp chilli flakes
Taste
Taste and balance: more lemon if it feels heavy, a spoonful of cream cheese if too salty.
Ingredients: 170 g sardines in olive oil, drained (2 tins of 120 g) · 100 g cream cheese · 40 g butter, soft · ½ pcs onion, finely chopped · 1 pcs lemon, juice and zest · 3 tbsp parsley · ½ tsp black pepper · ¼ tsp chilli flakes
Chill
Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate 30 minutes to firm up and let the flavours settle.
Ingredients: 170 g sardines in olive oil, drained (2 tins of 120 g) · 100 g cream cheese · 40 g butter, soft · ½ pcs onion, finely chopped · 1 pcs lemon, juice and zest · 3 tbsp parsley · ½ tsp black pepper · ¼ tsp chilli flakes
Serve
Toast the bread, drizzle with olive oil and serve with the pâté. Olives and a glass of white wine go well with it.
Ingredients: 8 pcs bread for toast · 1 tbsp olive oil for drizzling
On warm toast, at the last moment.
Before you start
Which sardines
Portuguese and Spanish sardines in olive oil are clearly better than those in sunflower oil. Check the label: fish, olive oil, salt and nothing else. A 120 g tin leaves about 85 g of fish once drained.
Dairy-free version
Instead of butter and cream cheese, mash the sardines with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and a spoonful of mustard — looser and sharper, in the style of French fish rillettes.
Storage
A fish and dairy spread keeps 2 days in the fridge in a closed container. Do not leave it at room temperature beyond the meal, and do not freeze it.