Spaghetti con le Sarde Recipe

Knock the socks off your taste buds with spaghetti con le sarde, a classic Sicilian pasta dish that combines spaghetti or bucatini with sardines and anchovies in a fragrant sauce of toasted pine nuts, golden raisins, Vidalia onions, wild fennel and saffron. And, instead of cheese, garnish this flavorful dish with toasted and seasoned bread crumbs.

Spaghetti con le Sarde

Serves 8

Ingredients
1 box Barilla® Spaghetti 
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
½ Vidalia onion, sliced
8 ounces wild fennel fronds
10 ounces sardines, clean bone off
2 salted anchovies
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1 pinch saffron (soaked in hot water for 10 min)
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons bread crumbs (toasted in 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil)

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; cook spaghetti according to directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a skillet, sauté onion with 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for three minutes.
3. Add anchovies and sardines, slowly cook until fish is breaking down.
4. Add ½ cup of pasta cooking water, saffron, raisins and blanched fennel.
5. Drain pasta and toss with sauce, bread crumbs, and pine nuts before serving.

Recipe and Photo Credit: Chef Lorenzo Boni