Toast the sourdough bread in the toaster or in a frying pan without extra fat until golden brown. This gives it a crisp surface so it stays firm under the topping.
Wash the tomatoes and cut them into thin slices. Peel the red onion and slice it into thin rings.
Carefully take the sardines out of the tin and leave them to drain briefly. Wash the rocket and shake it dry.
Top the toasted slices of bread with the tomatoes and arrange the sardines on top. Scatter over the red onion and capers.
Add the rocket and drizzle everything with the lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve straight away while the sourdough bread is still warm and crisp.
Good to know
I love open sandwiches like this on days when it needs to be quick but still taste like proper food. Hearty, fresh and pleasantly salty – without much effort.
Swaps
Sourdough bread → wholemeal sourdough (more fibre) | Rocket → baby spinach (milder, also contains folate) | Tomatoes → roasted peppers from a jar with nothing added (also provide vitamin C) | Sardines → mackerel in olive oil (similar omega-3 content)
Allergens
Contains fish and gluten; children often find onion and capers quite intense. During pregnancy, tinned sardines are generally a good choice of fish as long as the tin is undamaged and the product has been stored properly. In pregnancy, have no more than two portions of oily fish a week.
