Italian cuisine · Fish & Seafood

Pasta con le Sarde

Sicilian bucatini with fresh sardines, fennel, raisins, pine nuts and saffron, sprinkled with toasted breadcrumbs.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 400 g bucatini (or spaghetti)
• 500 g sardines (cleaned, filleted)
• 2 fennel bulbs
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 1 pinch saffron threads
• 4 anchovy fillets in oil
• 1 onion
• 100 g breadcrumbs
• 7 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Pluck off the fennel fronds and set aside, quarter the bulbs and boil in plenty of salted water for 10 min. until soft; remove, chop coarsely and keep the cooking water for the pasta.
2. Soak the raisins in warm water for 10 min., dissolve the saffron in 3 tbsp of the hot fennel water and toast the breadcrumbs in 2 tbsp olive oil for 3–4 min. until golden.
3. Finely dice the onion and sweat in 3 tbsp olive oil for 5 min. until translucent, add the chopped anchovy fillets and let them break down while stirring for 1 min.
4. Add the cooked fennel, drained raisins, pine nuts and saffron water and simmer over medium heat for 5 min. until fragrant.
5. Break the sardine fillets into pieces, fold in gently with the remaining olive oil and cook gently for 5–6 min. until just set – stir only a little so they don't fall apart.
6. Cook the bucatini in the fennel water until al dente, drain, toss with the sauce and a little pasta water and serve sprinkled with the toasted breadcrumbs and fennel fronds.