Sardines And Feta Combine To Give Flatbread A Kick Of Bold Flavor

No doubt, tinned fish is having a moment. Up until recently, enjoying a meal featuring canned seafood in the United States most likely involved tuna, salmon, or possibly clams, but there's a good reason why preserved fish like sardines are so popular in places like the Iberian Peninsula and Scandinavia. For one, those places have large coastlines and active fishing industries, but they also have known for a long while something that those of us stateside are just figuring out: Tinned fish are a cheap and easy way to flavor and add protein to a dish. And when you combine choices like savory sardines and briny feta, you've got the perfect bold kick to boost the flavor of a basic base like flatbread.

Let's start with the bread. It might help to familiarize yourself with the 23 types of flatbread — yes, it's extensive. Flatbread encompasses everything from tortillas to injera to crepes. Theoretically, you can load up any of those choices with sardines and feta, but to hold up to their hefty weight and flavor, a pizza-like base like focaccia or flammkuchen is your best bet. You can make it yourself using our easy trick for perfect flatbreads, or purchased from your favorite market. Or you could whip up a batch of cottage cheese flatbread if you want to amp up the protein and dial down the carbs.

As a duo, sardines and feta work together to complement each other in wonderful ways. The creamy tanginess of feta plays off of sardines' saltiness to balance overall flavor, and the crumbly, slightly chewy texture of the cheese provides a contrasting mouthfeel to the soft flakiness of the fish. Both ingredients also evoke the Mediterranean — you can almost feel the sea breeze as you eat them.

But there are even more combos you can experiment with to make your flatbread truly standout. To stick with the Mediterranean vibes, throw on some fresh basil, mint, or lemon zest — or how about some dried garlic and oregano? Middle Eastern spice blends like za'atar or dukkah also wouldn't be out of place here.

For the next level, add on some more ingredients like roasted red peppers or tomato slices, which provide contrasting sweetness and beautiful color. Fresh, cold veggies like cucumber or arugula (added after baking) are also great for a delightful crunchy texture. If you're baking the flatbread with ingredients added, try it with thinly sliced lemon. The bitterness and acidity of the lemon complements both the fish and the cheese, and roasting it brings out its sweetness and makes the whole thing (peel included) edible.