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 4-ounce cans of oil-packed sardines
- 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!
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