Pasta con le sarde espressa

Name: Pasta con le sarde espressa
Total time: 900 s
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 small fennels; 2 anchovies; 1 tin sardines (usually 3-4 sardines); 1 clove garlic; 1 chilli (optional); 1 pinch saffron (optional); 1 big handful of raisins; 8-10 cherry tomatoes (or 2 large tomatoes); 200 g fresh pasta (or 150g dried); 1 handful breadcrumbs

Gianandrea Minneci @giandino

Pasta con le sarde (sardines) is a trademark recipe from Palermo. It's simple Sicilian ingredients infused with Arab influences, and it's just so delicious. This version is adapted to everyday life in the UK - sometimes I don't have saffron, stale bread for breadcrumbs or nice fennel like these ones from #seasonsupply. Well, you should only use wild fennel in the original anyway...

Gianandrea Minneci @giandino

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Ingredients

15 minutes

2 servings

2small fennels
2anchovies
1 tinsardines (usually 3-4 sardines)
1 clovegarlic
1chilli (optional)
1 pinchsaffron (optional)
1big handful of raisins
8-10cherry tomatoes (or 2 large tomatoes)
200 gfresh pasta (or 150g dried)
1 handfulbreadcrumbs

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Steps

15 minutes

1

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil for the pasta as usual. Slice the bulbs of the fennel in thin rounds; keep aside the fluffy tips for later.
2

Add the fennel, chilli, saffron, garlic and anchovies to a pan with the oil and fry for a few minutes. Once the fennel starts to soften and the anchovies start to dissolve, add the raisins. After another minute or so, add the sardines and the chopped tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes tossing frequently.
3

Remove from heat. Cook the pasta (these are homemade chestnut and wholemeal pappardelle); in the meantime, chop the fennel tips finely.
4

Drain the pasta al dente and combine it with sauce in the pan. Add the chopped fennel tips and the breadcrumbs.
5

Done!