Spaghettoni con le sarde

I’ve been having so much fun filming a new cooking show, and for the past week a lovely crew of 15 have spent 12 hours a day with me to make it. We’ll do it again next week, but this is why I’m late on this great combination. Thank you for understanding.

first let’s talk about spaghettoni, ONI indicating a larger size of pretty much all Italian words. The spaghettoni are like bucatini without the hole running through the center. If you can’t find these “fat” spaghetti, the bucatini are your ticket .

Pasta con le sarde is a sardine, raisin, and pine nut combination that is exquisite, under served in the USA, and perfect for a hot spring day. I make some quick homemade breadcrumbs, and blanch my fennel fronds and parsley to amp it all up. I know you’ll love it! Enjoy

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Serves 4-6

1 cup panko

4 garlic cloves, sliced

1 yellow onion, small dice

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 tablespoons olive oil

The fronds of 1 large fennel

1 bunch parsley

6 anchovy filets

4-6 sardines, back bone and heads removed (Ortiz in the glass jar is great)

3 tablespoons pine nuts

1.5 tablespoons raisins

1/3 cup white wine

1 pound spaghettoni or bucatini

Salt to taste

Calabrian chili paste to taste

Steps

Make the breadcrumbs

In a small food processor, process the panko breadcrumbs until fine. Remove and set aside, fill the container with the 2 garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Process until smooth, then remove and mix with the breadcrumbs.

In a medium sauté pan over medium high heat, cook the breadcrumbs until fragrant and slightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside, keep the pan on the stove (heat off for now).

Make the pasta and sauce

Bring a large wide pot filled with water to a boil over high heat. Lightly salt the boiling water and blanch the fennel fronds and parsley for 1 minute, until bright green and soft. Remove the a spider to a colander, and run under cool water. Then squeeze the excess moisture out of the herbs, and finely chop them. Place into a medium bowl and set aside.

Set the breadcrumb pan over medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoon olive oil, the anchovies, the onion, and the remaining 2 garlic cloves. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onions just start to show some color change. Add the pine nuts, and raisins, reduce heat to low and cook the pasta.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 1 minute under the recommended time.

Add the white wine to the sauce mixture and increase heat to high, once the alcohol has cooked off, add 1 cup of the pasta water, and the anchovies to the pan. Add the cooked pasta, and the chopped fennel/parsley fronds to the sauce, and stir gently over high heat, adding more water if needed. Plate and top with the breadcrumbs and the Calabrian chili.