How to Cook Spaghetti Con Le Sarde

Serves: 6

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients needed to make Spaghetti Con Le Sarde:

• 1 lb spaghetti
• 1 ¼ lb fresh (tinned or marinaded sardines will need rinsing) sardines
• ½ cup coarse, fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 large fennel bulbs, prepared and chopped
• 1 tsp fennel pollen
• 2 tsp grated orange zest
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt to taste

Cooking instructions for Spaghetti Con Le Sarde:

• Remove the scales of the sardines using a blunt knife and chop off the fins.
• Slice off the head as well as tail of each fish and split it open along the stomach.
• Remove the gut plus back bone and open the fish to slice it into two fillets.
• Wash the fillets in cold water and blot dry with paper towels.
• Chop these fillets into coarse chunks and set aside.
• Pour water into a large stockpot to fill it up and bring it to a boil over high heat.
• Sprinkle 3 tbsp of salt and continue to boil for some time.
• Pour ¼ cup of oil in a separate large pot and heat it over moderate flame.
• Throw in the fennel seeds and sauté, while stirring often, for a minute or until they are toasted and give out a pleasant aroma.
• Stir in the chopped fennel and continue to stir fry for about 5 minutes or until it softens.
• Dump the sardine chunks into it and cook them for another couple of minutes, while stirring often, until they turn opaque.
• Dump the pasta into boiling water and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions, until they are just cooked.
• Pass through a colander to drain and set some pasta water aside.
• Throw in the pasta into the sardine mixture, along with half of the reserved pasta water and toss them all together until the pasta is coated well.
• Cook for a couple of minutes and drizzle rest of the olive oil into it.
• Stir in half each of the chopped fronds, fennel pollen, the bread crumbs and orange zest.
• Transfer this mixture into a large serving bowl and sprinkle remaining half of the ingredients on top.
• Serve right away.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

Last Updated on February 4, 2013 by