PASTA CON LE SARDE (PASTA WITH SARDINES AND FENNEL)
4 servings
If you are not usually disposed to eating sardines, consider this a “gateway sardine dish.”
Combine in a small bowl and set aside:
- ½ cup dry white wine or ¼ cup warm water
- ½ teaspoon saffron threads
Heat in a medium skillet over medium heat until hot:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Add and cook, stirring, until well browned:
- ½ cup dry bread crumbs (preferably coarse)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- (Finely grated zest of 1 lemon)
Transfer the crumbs to a plate and set aside. Cook in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but firm:
- 8 ounces dried bucatini or spaghetti
Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside. Return the empty pasta pot to the heat and add:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Add and cook, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes:
- 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced, tops reserved
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
Stir in and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute:
- ¼ cup golden raisins or dried currants
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- (3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and chopped)
Add the steeped saffron liquid to the pot and cook until reduced by half. Add:
- Two 4-ounce tins high-quality sardines (not smoked), drained
Add the pasta and reserved pasta water, tossing with tongs to combine. Cook until the ingredients have melded and everything is heated through. Serve topped with the bread crumbs and:
- Chopped fennel fronds
- (Grated Romano cheese)