In Soviet times, canned food with the inscription "Sprats in oil" was considered a rare delicacy that was served only on holidays. Sprat paste was a little less valued, however, during times of total deficit, people rejoiced when they managed to get at least it. Salads, snacks and sandwiches were made from canned food.
Today, sprat paste is in every store, and the price of this product is not too high.
Description and composition
For the preparation of sprat paste according to the proven classic recipe, small sprats are used - Baltic and European. These are small fish from the herring family, about 7-15 cm long.
The sprat paste is not very attractive in appearance - it is a homogeneous mass of gray with a sharp fishy smell and aroma of smoked meats. But it has a good taste and is rich in protein and minerals valuable to the body.
The paste is prepared simply: the fish is smoked, generously seasoned with vegetable oil, a few vegetables or cereals are added for volume and mass and chopped. Then the paste is packaged in jars, and it goes to store shelves.
In a regular can of sprat paste, the content of fish products is 50-60%, the rest is oil, water, rice or pearl barley and various seasonings.
Benefit and harm
Since the product consists mainly of fish, it has great nutritional value. Sprats contain natural easily digestible protein and useful microelements - phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and iron, therefore, snacks with sprat paste can make up for the deficiency of these substances in the human body.
But this product also has contraindications for use. First of all, sprat paste is not recommended for people aged, with diseases of the cardiovascular system and hypertension due to the high salt content. Also, canned foods should not fall on the children's table, since the slightest violation in the production technology leads to the formation of dangerous microorganisms in the jar.
The nutritional value of the paste is 195 kcal per 100 g. product. Of these, 128 kcal falls on fats due to the large portion of vegetable oil. So the products can not be attributed to diet.
Sandwiches
Sandwiches with sprat paste can be served on a daily table. This is a tasty and inexpensive appetizer that will help diversify the daily menu.
But how to choose a sprat paste in a store? Unfortunately, for the manufacture of these products often not the best products are used in the hope that the buyer will still not be able to determine in appearance whether this product is good or bad. But these tricks greatly affect the taste of the product, and sprat paste is getting worse from year to year.
However, not all manufacturers behave in this way, some canned foods are as good as whole sprats in oil. But to find such a product in a store can only be experienced. And buyers should be advised to pay attention to the expiration date and price of products, since good canned goods do not sell at 20 rubles per can.
Sandwiches with sprat paste are very easy to prepare. For this you will need: a jar of good paste from sprats, brown bread, green onions.
Cooking:
- Open the jar, evaluate the contents for taste and smell. If everything is in order, then you can start cooking.
- Cut brown bread into triangular or rectangular slices.
- Dry the bread in a dry pan. If you can’t do without it, you can add a little oil when drying. But it is better to avoid this, as there is a lot of oil in the fish mass.
- To spread the paste on a slice of bread is not a thin, but not too thick layer.
- Chop finely green onions. Sprinkle on top.
So you can cook delicious sandwiches.
Sprat paste recipe
Many buyers still cannot find the perfect paste in every respect. But this is not a reason to abandon this product. Sprat paste can be prepared by yourself, because whole sprats in oil are easier to choose, today they are often sold in glass containers and you can evaluate their appearance.
Ingredients:
- good cream cheese - 1 pc.;
- boiled eggs - 2 pcs.;
- sprat jar - 1 pc.;
- mayonnaise - 30 ml;
- fresh dill - to taste;
- white onion - 1 pc.;
- salt and pepper - optional.
Cooking:
- Peel the onions and chop them in a food processor.
- Add sprats and mix again.
- Put the grated cream cheese.
- Place boiled eggs, chopped dill and mayonnaise in the bowl of the harvester.
- Turn on chopping mode for 5 seconds. The mass should be convenient for spreading on bread, but not too uniform.
- If desired, add salt and pepper. Many products in this recipe already contain salt, so seasoning is not necessary.
Bon Appetit!