Species sheet · The Edible Ocean
European sprat
Small, silvery, almost as bright as herring.
- Whole crispy fry
- Quickly grilled with lemon
- In fritters or croquettes
- In French
- Esprot
- Scientific name
- Sprattus sprattus
- In the water
- A coastal pelagic fish of the north-east Atlantic and Mediterranean, forming compact schools between 10 and 150 m.
- Season & buying
- Available for much of the year; quality depends on local stocks, so check provenance with the fishmonger.
- Common length
- ~12 cm
- How to identify it
- Sleek silvery body
Relatively large eye
Single dorsal fin set midway along the body
On the plate
Fine, oily and faintly briny flesh.
Avoid: Overcooking: the flesh dries and loses its richness.
It is often mistaken for anchovy or whitebait, though its mouth is smaller and its size more modest.
In Umay recipes
One Umay recipe calls for it.
