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1
Pat the fish completely dry with paper towel. Heat the olive oil in a wide, deep pan over a high flame. Fry the fish in uncrowded batches until completely crisp and golden on both sides — no residual moisture should remain in the flesh. Lift onto a rack or paper towel and allow to cool fully. The surface must be audibly crisp and rigid to the touch; any softness indicates insufficient frying and the fish cannot be used for storage.
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2
Warm the white wine vinegar in a small saucepan until just below a simmer — it must not boil. Remove from heat, add the saffron, and leave to steep until the liquid is a deep, even golden-orange and carries the saffron's aromatic perfume clearly. This extracts both crocin and safranal from the threads. The colour should be brilliant and uniform throughout the vinegar.
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3
Select a terra cotta jar or glass jar with a close-fitting lid. Spoon a thin layer of breadcrumbs across the base. Lay a tight, single layer of fried fish over the breadcrumbs. Spoon over enough saffron vinegar to moisten the breadcrumbs thoroughly. Repeat — breadcrumbs, fish, vinegar — until all fish are layered, finishing with breadcrumbs and vinegar. The breadcrumbs will begin to absorb the vinegar immediately; each layer must be pressed gently so the fish are tightly packed and fully contacted by the marinade.
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4
Seal the jar and store at cool room temperature or in the refrigerator for a minimum of 24 hours and up to one week. At the end of the resting period the breadcrumbs will have swollen to a golden, sauce-like mass binding the fish. Open the jar: the saffron perfume should be pronounced and the contents uniformly golden-orange. The fish will have softened from the outside while retaining body.
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5
To serve, drain the fish slightly and arrange on a platter. Scatter sliced raw onion and flat-leaf parsley leaves over the top. The dish is served at room temperature.