Description
A traditional Sicilian pasta recipe with a tomato-based sauce, sardines, and fennel. Credit goes to Iana, a special lady who lived near Castello a Mare.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 bulb fennel – thinly sliced, fronds lightly chopped, stems discarded
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (4.5 ounce) cans sardines packed in oil
- ⅓ cup raisins
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, or more to taste, minced
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add fennel bulb
- fronds
- and onion. Cook until tender
- about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute. Add sardines with oil; stir until crumbled. Stir in raisins
- pine nuts
- basil
- fennel seeds
- salt
- pepper
- and red pepper flakes; cook until toasted. Pour in tomatoes. Let sauce simmer.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water
- stirring occasionally
- until tender yet firm to the bite
- about 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile
- heat oil in another pan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant
- about 1 minute. Add bread crumbs and basil. Cook
- stirring occasionally
- until browned
- about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Drain pasta; serve topped with the sauce
- seasoned bread crumbs
- and Parmesan cheese.
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Servings: 8