Tortang Sardinas (Sardine Omelette)

Tortang Sardinas, or Sardine Omelette, is a popular Filipino dish that combines canned sardines with eggs and various vegetables. This simple and delicious recipe is a great way to elevate canned sardines into a flavorful and satisfying meal. Canned sardines are mashed and mixed with onions, carrots, spring onions, and flour, then combined with beaten eggs to create a thick and flavorful mixture. The mixture is then fried until golden brown and crispy, resulting in a delightful omelette with a burst of seafood flavor. Tortang Sardinas is a budget-friendly dish that can be enjoyed any time of the day with your favorite dipping sauce! Yum!

Tortang Sardinas Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cans sardines
• 3 eggs
• 1 medium onion (minced)
• 1 small carrot (minced)
• 2 tablespoons spring onions (minced)
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons flour

Directions:

1. Crack the eggs in a bowl. Beat until well scrambled. Set aside until ready to use.
2. Open the cans of sardines and place them to a bowl. Separate the fish from the sauce. Mash the fish into small pieces using a fork. Then, add the onions, garlic, carrots, spring onions and flour. Mix until well combined.  Season with some salt and black pepper.
3. Add the beaten eggs into the sardines mixture. Mix until well combined.
4. Heat some oil on a flat pan. Add a scoop of the sardines mixture and fry each torta until golden brown and crispy. Gently flip to cook the other side. Then, transfer the fried tortang sardinas to a strainer or paper towel to drain excess oil. Do this with the rest of the mixture.
5. Transfer the mini Sardine Omelette to a serving plate with your favorite dipping sauce on the side. Make papak or have it with some hot steaming rice. Yum!

What are Sardines?

Sardines are small, oily fish that are commonly canned and consumed worldwide. They belong to the herring family and are known for their rich flavor and high nutritional value. They are typically found in both saltwater and freshwater environments, and are known for their silver-colored bodies and distinctively strong taste. These fish are packed with essential nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, protein, calcium, and various vitamins and minerals. Sardines are a popular ingredient in many cuisines and can be enjoyed in various forms, such as grilled, smoked, or canned in oil or tomato sauce. They are often used in recipes for salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes, and appetizers. Sardines are appreciated for their versatility, affordability, and health benefits.

More often than not, the term “sardines” now refers to canned sardines since they are much more available as canned than fresh. Canned sardines are sardines that have been cleaned, cooked, and preserved in a can with oil, water, or various sauces such as tomato sauce or mustard sauce. The cannigng process is done  to enjoy sardines as they have a longer shelf life and can be easily stored and transported. Canned sardines come in various sizes, ranging from small individual servings to larger cans for family consumption. They are readily available in grocery stores and supermarkets, making them a convenient pantry staple. Canned sardines retain the flavor and nutritional benefits of fresh sardines, providing a convenient and versatile option for incorporating sardines into meals. They can be used in a variety of recipes, including salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes, or enjoyed straight out of the can as a quick and nutritious snack.

Canned sardines in the Philippines come in a variety of flavors and styles. Some common varieties include sardines in tomato sauce, sardines in oil, spicy sardines, and sardines with various added ingredients such as chili, vegetables, or spices. Different brands offer their own unique flavors and packaging designs, catering to different tastes and preferences.

Since canned sardines are cheap but a great source of protein, I usually use them during petsa de peligro. The recipe featured in this article will show you a great but easy way in enjoying canned sardines.

Sardine Omelette (Tortang Sardinas)

Canned goods are usually associated to being unhealthy and overly processed. But during petsa de peligro, their cheap price could really feed our growling tummies. While it is true that canned goods are loaded with preservatives (usually sodium), how we prepare and eat them is still the most essential part.

Most people simply saute their canned sardines in garlic and onions but I always like to go an extra mile. The best way to enjoy canned dishes is to reduce its sodium content and make them healthier by adding more veggies instead of eating them as it is (unless you are really feeling lazy). One of my favorite ways in modifying my canned sardines is turning them into Sardine Omelette.

One friend shared her dilemma to me that she is really having a hard time feeding her kids veggies as they are picky eaters. Once I hear the term “picky eater”, hidden veggies is the instant thing which comes into my mind.

Torta and omelette dishes are really fun to experiment with. It is a blank and flexible dish in which you can add any ingredient you like. Petsa de peligro + picky eaters? The tortang sardines is the only answer to that! Load it with any veggie you like, just make sure to mince them into very small pieces.

If you wanna know how to make tortang sardinas, read and follow the simple recipe below. Yum!

How to Make Tortang Sardinas

Aside from being an economical dish, making the Sardine Omelette is truly simple and easy. If you have tried making other torta or flavored omelette in the past, then this dish will be super easy for you.

Start with your eggs. I used 3 eggs for 2 cans of sardines. The amount of eggs depends on how many sardines you would like to prepare (since some brands have more sardines per can than others). Beat them and set aside until ready to use.

There are many brands of sardines you can choose from and I will leave the decision to you. For this recipe, we will only use the sardines and not the sauce, so you may freely choose between sardines in tomato sauce and those soaked in brine or oil. After you separate the sardines, simply mash them into smaller pieces. Do not overmash as we still want to see some flakes in it. The rest of the ingredients depends on you, but omelette dishes like this is a great avenue in adding vegetables in your dishes. In this recipe, I added some onions, carrots and spring onions but feel free to add more veggies.

Once your ingredients are combined in a bowl, add the egg slowly. Make sure that the eggs are enough. We want the mixture to be a little fluidy/flowy than sticky. Sticky mixture might create scrambled eggs than omelettes. Be careful when adding seasonings since the sardines are already salty.

Fry the Sardine Omelette mixture in a heated pan. Use a scooper to make sure that the omelette sizes are similar. Once done, it is ready to be eaten. I usually enjoy this with rice or enjoy it like a patty to my pandesal in the morning. Don’t forget your favorite dipping sauce! Yum!

Tortang Sardinas Recipe in Tagalog

Mga Sangkap:

• 2 latang sardinas
• 3 itlog
• 1 sibuyas (hiniwa ng maliliit)
• 1 maliit na carrot (hiniwa ng maliliit)
• 2 kutsarang spring onions (hiniwa ng maliliit)
• asin
• paminta
• 2 kutsarang harina

Paano Lutuin:

1. Basagin ang mga itlog at ilagay sa isang bowl. Batihin ang mga ito ng mabuti at isantabi muna.
2. Buksan ang mga lata ng sardinas at ilipat sa isang bowl. Paghiwalayin ang isda at ang sauce. Durugin ang mga isda gamit ang tinidor. Sunod na ialagay ang sibuyas, bawang, carrots, spring onions, at harina. Haluin ng mabuti. Budburan ng konting asin at paminta.
3. Sunod na ilagay ang mga binating itlog sa mixture. Haluin ng mabuti.
4. Magpainit ng kaunting mantika sa kawali. Maglagay ng isang scoop ng sardines mixture at iprito hanggang maging crispy at golden brown. Dahan dahang baliktarin ang mga ito para maluto ang kabilang side. Ilipat ang mga tortang sardinas sa isang strainer o paper towel para tumulo ang sobrang mantika. Gawin ang mga steps na ito hanggang maubos ang sardines mixture.
5. Ilipat ang mga tortang sardinas sa isang serving plate at ihain kasama ng iyong favorite dipping sauce. Papakin o kainin ito kasama ang mainit na kanin. Enjoy!