Pasta con le Sarde – Authentic Sicilian Recipe

Ingredients

• 400 g bucatini
• 400 g fresh sardines, cleaned, heads and bones removed
• 200 g wild fennel tops (finocchietto selvatico), tender fronds only
• 1 medium white onion, finely sliced
• 50 g pine nuts
• 50 g raisins (soaked in warm water for 15 minutes, drained)
• 1 sachet (0.125 g) saffron dissolved in 3 tbsp warm water
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Toasted breadcrumbs (mollica atturrata), for serving

Method

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the wild fennel and cook for 8–10 minutes until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon, squeeze out excess water, chop roughly and set aside. Keep the fennel cooking water — you will use it to cook the pasta.
2. Rinse and pat dry the cleaned sardines. Open them flat like a book and check for any remaining small bones.
3. Heat the olive oil in a wide, deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook gently for 8 minutes until soft and golden, stirring often.
4. Add half the sardines to the pan and cook, breaking them up with a wooden spoon, until they almost dissolve into the sauce, about 5 minutes. This forms the flavour base.
5. Stir in the pine nuts, drained raisins, chopped fennel and the saffron water. Season with salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook together for 3–4 minutes, stirring gently.
6. Add the remaining sardines in pieces, stir once carefully and cook for a further 3 minutes so they remain slightly intact and add texture to the dish.
7. Cook the bucatini in the reserved fennel water according to packet instructions until al dente. Reserve a ladleful of cooking water before draining.
8. Add the drained bucatini to the pan, toss well over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, adding a splash of pasta water to loosen if needed. Serve immediately topped with a generous handful of toasted breadcrumbs instead of cheese.

Tips from the kitchen

Frequently asked questions