Pasta con le Sarde

Sicilian pasta combining sardines, fennel, raisins and breadcrumbs.

• Serves: 4
• Preparation: 50 min
• Cooking: 35 min

Ingredients

• 320 g bucatini
• 500 g fresh sardines
• 180 g wild fennel
• 80 g onion
• 30 g raisins
• 25 g pine nuts
• 30 g almonds, chopped
• 5 salted anchovies
• 50 g extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 packet saffron
• 30 g breadcrumbs
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Clean and butterfly the sardines, and soak the raisins.
2. Cook the onion gently with olive oil and anchovies, then add dissolved saffron, sardines, raisins, almonds and pine nuts.
3. Blanch the wild fennel, chop it and add it to the sauce; reserve its cooking water.
4. Boil the pasta in the fennel water until al dente.
5. Toss the pasta with the sardine sauce and finish with breadcrumbs toasted in olive oil.