Name: Sicilian-Style Pasta with Sardines
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: Makes 4 main-course servings
Ingredients: 1 large fennel bulb (sometimes called anise; 1¼ lb), any fronds chopped and stalks trimmed flush with bulb and discarded; ⅛ teaspoon crumbled saffron threads; ½ cup raisins; ½ cup dry white wine; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed; ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 2 (3¾- to 4⅜-ounce) cans sardines in oil, drained; 1 pound bucatini or spaghetti; ½ cup pine nuts, toasted; ⅓ cup dry bread crumbs, toasted and tossed with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and salt to taste

Sardine spaghetti with bread crumbs and pine nuts on a plate.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food styling by Mira Evnine

In this Sicilian-inspired pasta dish, sweet fennel and raisins team up with toasty breadcrumbs and pine nuts to bring warmth and dimension to canned sardines. White wine and saffron add a sunny floral quality that brightens the dish even more. Like many sardine recipes, this one proves that you can transform a handful of pantry ingredients into a full dinner-party-worthy meal.

Any sardines packed in oil will work here, but for the richest, most luxurious flavor, opt for sardines packed in olive oil. If you prefer a thicker, chewier pasta, reach for the bucatini, but if spaghetti is what you have, it will also work perfectly well.

What you’ll need

Sardines Packed in Olive Oil
$29 At Amazon
Pine Nuts
$18 At Amazon
Saffron
$10 At Burlap and Barrel

Recipe notes

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