This Pasta Recipe Changed My Mind About Sardines - Pasta con Le Sarde

By Vincenzo's Plate · 30 min

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Soak the saffron threads in a glass of hot water and let it rest; ideally do this the day before.
2. Boil the wild fennel leaves in a medium pot for about 5 minutes, then drain them, keep the cooking water, and chop the leaves finely.
3. Toast the pine nuts in a small pan over medium-low heat until golden, then set them aside.
4. Toast the breadcrumbs in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan, stirring with a wooden spoon until evenly cooked, then set aside.
5. In the same pan over medium-low heat, add 4 to 5 tablespoons of olive oil and the chopped red onion. Add a splash of water and the crushed garlic, then stir.
6. Add the anchovies and stir until they melt away.
7. Stir in the tomato paste, adding a splash of water if it dries out, and lower the heat if needed.
8. Add the chopped fennel and sultanas and mix well.
9. Pour in half the saffron liquid, add the sardines and cook for less than 2 minutes, stirring gently. Season with a little salt only if needed and a generous amount of pepper.
10. When the liquid evaporates, add the rest of the saffron liquid.
11. Bring the reserved fennel cooking water to a boil in a large pot, adding more water if needed, then add 1 tablespoon of coarse salt and let it dissolve. Cook the spaghetti for the time on the packet.
12. When the pasta is nearly cooked, reserve a mugful of cooking water.
13. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sardines.
14. Add the toasted pine nuts and toss, adding reserved pasta water as needed until the pasta is well coated.

Summarized from Vincenzo's Plate's video. Watch it for the details.

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GarlicOnionRed onionTomato pasteBreadcrumbSpaghettiPine nutFennel