Pasta con le Sarde
User Reviews
5.0
21 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
5 mins
-
Cook Time
5 mins
-
Total Time
40 mins
-
Servings
6
-
Calories
676 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
Italian
Pasta con le Sarde
Report
Pasta con le sarde, also known as St. Joseph's Pasta, is a wonderful combination of al dente bucatini, toasted breadcrumbs, fennel, sardines, pignoli, and golden raisins.
Share:
Ingredients
For the breadcrumbs
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
For the pasta
- 1 pinch saffron
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 pound Bucatini or spaghetti
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large fennel bulb cut in half, save a 1/2 cup or less of the fronds
- 1 medium onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic sliced
- 5 oil-packed anchovy fillets
- 3 ounce cans of oil-packed sardines
- 1/3 cup golden raisins soaked in water then drained
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 2 cups reserved pasta water will most likely not need it all
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the breadcrumbs
- Heat a large pan to medium-low heat and saute the breadcrumbs in the olive oil until golden (about 5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
For the pasta
- Place the saffron in the wine and set aside.
- Begin by bringing a large pot of salted water to boil. Boil the fennel for about 10 minutes or until tender then remove with a slotted spoon. Save the water because that will be used to cook the pasta. Once the fennel is cool enough to handle, dice it into small pieces.
- Heat a large pan to medium and saute the onions in extra virgin olive oil until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the anchovies and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Mash the anchovies with a wooden spoon to break them up.
- Add the fennel and cook for another 2 minutes.
- At this time cook the pasta until 1 minute less than al dente.
- Add the wine and saffron mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes over medium heat to reduce the liquid by about half.
- Add the raisins, pine nuts, and fronds along with the sardines. Turn the heat down to low and gently break the sardines apart but don’t mash them. Leave some texture.
- Add the pasta to the pan along with 1 cup of pasta water. Toss or mix quickly and cook the pasta until it reaches just al dente.
- Remove the pan from the heat and taste test. Adjust salt and pepper as required. If the pasta is too dry add a bit more of the reserved pasta water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, and mix again. Add half of the breadcrumbs and toss the pasta. Serve in bowls with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Offer with the remaining breadcrumbs at the table. Enjoy!
Notes
- Traditionally, this dish is served with fresh sardines, but canned oil-packed sardines are a great option.
- Anchovies and canned sardines are very salty. Go easy with extra salt.
- Supermarkets often sell large fennel bulbs that might need to be shaved a bit with a peeler to remove the hard outer edges. Smaller and more tender fennel (like the ones used in the post body above) can be used as is.
- Always reserve pasta water. If the pasta dries out before serving, just add a few ounces of the pasta water to bring the consistency right back to perfect.
- Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
676kcal
(34%)
Carbohydrates
78.6g
(26%)
Protein
28.3g
(57%)
Fat
29.5g
(45%)
Saturated Fat
3.8g
(19%)
Cholesterol
83mg
(28%)
Sodium
557mg
(23%)
Potassium
512mg
(15%)
Fiber
5.2g
(21%)
Calcium
583mg
(58%)
Iron
6mg
(33%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 676 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 676kcal | 34% |
| Carbohydrates | 78.6g | 26% |
| Protein | 28.3g | 57% |
| Fat | 29.5g | 45% |
| Saturated Fat | 3.8g | 19% |
| Cholesterol | 83mg | 28% |
| Sodium | 557mg | 23% |
| Potassium | 512mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 5.2g | 21% |
| Calcium | 583mg | 58% |
| Iron | 6mg | 33% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
21 reviews
Excellent
Other Recipes
You'll Also Love
