Pasta con le Sarde
A classic Sicilian pasta that transforms pantry staples like sardines, raisins, and saffron into a deeply layered, balanced dish finished with crisp fennel breadcrumbs.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb bucatini
- 2 tins sardines in olive oil drained
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 1 small white onion sliced
- 1 head fennel diced, fronds reserved
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- Pinch saffron
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 –1 tsp fennel seeds
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- In a small pot, combine white wine, raisins, and saffron. Bring to a simmer, then turn off heat and let infuse.
- Prep fennel, onion, fennel fronds, and sardines.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Toast pine nuts in a skillet until golden. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, toast fennel seeds in olive oil, then add breadcrumbs and cook until golden. Mix in fennel fronds and set aside.
- Add olive oil to the pan and melt anchovies. Add onion and fennel, season with salt, and cook until softened.
- Pour in the saffron, raisin, and wine mixture and reduce slightly.
- Cook bucatini until just under al dente.
- Add pine nuts and gently fold in sardines.
- Transfer pasta to the sauce with a splash of pasta water and toss to combine.
- Serve topped with breadcrumbs, black pepper, and olive oil.
