Pasta with sardines and wild fennel, Sicilian style.
Pasta with sardines is a very humble dish of Sicilian cuisine and grandmother’s recipes, prepared with modest, common fish such as sardines and enriched with wild fennel, a typical spontaneous plant found a bit everywhere from March to September, a recipe that also has its version with fennel without sardines, called pasta con le sarde a mare.
Even though it is a traditional dish, each area of Sicily really has its own version and, while the basic elements remain the same, there are some differences in preparation. My version is the Catania style, which includes the addition of tomato or tomato paste. A common feature across versions besides sardines, fennel and raisins is the use of toasted breadcrumbs for finishing, known as “muddica atturrata”.
“Atturratu” breadcrumbs, flavored with anchovies, represent in the tradition the cheese of the poor and for this reason are an element present in many recipes, especially pasta with sardines.
Let’s see how to prepare Sicilian pasta with sardines, one of the signature dishes of the island’s traditional cuisine, made with fresh sardines and wild fennel according to the original recipe, and meanwhile I remind you that if you want to stay updated on my recipes, you can follow me on Facebook and my Instagram profile Instagram.
Also check out these typical Sicilian first courses:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6 Servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients to make traditional pasta with sardines
- 14 oz bucatini (or the pasta you prefer)
- 1.1 lb sardines (very fresh)
- 1 oz pine nuts (or coarsely chopped almonds)
- 1 oz raisins (soaked)
- 3 oz tomato pulp (cooked and reduced, or 1 tbsp tomato paste)
- 1 onion (medium)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- 3.5 oz wild fennel (boiled, squeezed or whatever you have)
- 3.5 oz breadcrumbs
- 4 anchovies in salt (fillets or in oil)
- 1 tbsp capers (desalted)
Tools
- Pot
- Pan
Preparation of Sicilian pasta with sardines: the traditional recipe
Clean the wild fennel, keeping only the tender central shoots and the outer fronds, removing the tough, fibrous stems. Wash everything well and boil it for about thirty minutes, drain, squeeze and chop finely.
Prepare the tomato: cook about 7 oz (200 g) of tomato pulp in a pan until well reduced, season with salt and, if necessary, a little sugar. Alternatively use tomato paste directly, which will give a more intense color.
Sauté the anchovies in oil until they break down, then add the breadcrumbs and, stirring constantly with a spoon, wait for them to toast and darken, “atturrato” like nougat. I recommend adding a pinch of sugar at this stage, which will help both the flavor and the browning of the breadcrumbs.
When you buy the sardines, ask the fishmonger to remove the head and spine and to butterfly them; at home remove the tails and rinse well to remove any remaining scales, then cut them into pieces.
Slice an onion and sauté it in plenty of oil. Add the sardines, the capers, the pine nuts or chopped almonds (for the record, the recipe calls for pine nuts; I often replace them with much cheaper almonds), start letting the fish break down and immediately add two tablespoons of the tomato sauce you prepared (or one tablespoon of tomato paste), the wild fennel and the soaked and squeezed raisins.
Mix, dilute with a little fennel cooking water, let simmer for about ten minutes and turn off. If you like you can also flavor the sauce with saffron and omit the tomato, as in the Palermo version.
Cook the pasta; you can also add the fennel cooking water to the pasta cooking water. Tradition calls for bucatini, but honestly any pasta shape that holds the sauce well will work. Drain, combine with the sauce and toss in the pan with the sardines and a little cooking water, add some “muddica”, plate immediately and sprinkle with more “muddica atturrata”.
Storage notes and tips
Pasta with sardines can be kept in the refrigerator for one day, well sealed in an airtight container. Before serving again, heat it in a pan adding one tablespoon of water or a drizzle of oil to restore liveliness to the sauce. Freezing is not recommended so as not to alter the texture of the sardines and the wild fennel.
To obtain an even more fragrant pasta with sardines, you can prepare the sauce in advance and let it rest for a few hours: the flavors will meld better, just like in home kitchens. Use very fresh sardines and seasonal wild fennel for an authentic and delicate result. If you prefer a stronger flavor, you can add a handful of toasted breadcrumbs before serving.
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Can pasta with sardines be prepared in advance?
Yes, the sauce can be prepared a few hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator. This way the flavors will have time to meld better. When ready to serve, simply cook the pasta and toss it with the sauce.
Can pasta with sardines be frozen?
Freezing the pasta already dressed is not recommended, because the texture of the sardines and the wild fennel could be altered. It is preferable to store only the sauce in the refrigerator for one day.
Can I make pasta with sardines without fennel?
Wild fennel is one of the typical ingredients of Sicilian pasta with sardines, but in its absence it is possible to prepare the dish without it.
What is the best pasta shape for pasta with sardines?
Traditionally bucatini are used, but spaghetti or macaroni are also perfect for catching the sauce.
What is the difference between “pasta con le sarde” and “pasta con le sarde alla siciliana”?
Pasta con le sarde alla siciliana uses wild fennel, which gives the dish its characteristic aroma and flavor.
Can pasta with sardines be considered a one-dish meal?
Yes. Thanks to the presence of carbohydrates, protein and fats, pasta with sardines can also be served as a complete and nutritious one-dish meal.
