How To Make Pasta con le Sarde

A fragrant sauce made from onions, fennel, raisins, pine nuts, anchovies, sardines, and saffron, topped with toasted and seasoned bread crumbs.

Image: Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Recipe created by @ashleylamego on Tiktok

Ingredients:

• 1 can sardines in olive oil (cut into pieces)

• Sardine oil from package

• 1 package of your pasta of choice

• ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil

• ¼ cup of finely chopped onions

• 4 cloves of finely chopped garlic

• 1 tsp of chilli flakes (optional)

• 1 tsp of salt and pepper

• ½ cup of Parmesan cheese

• 1 cup of toasted breadcrumbs

• Zest of 1 lemon

• ⅓ cup of fresh parsley​

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Method:

1. In a large pan on medium-high heat warm your sardine oil and extra virgin olive oil.

2. Add your chopped onions and let fry for a few minutes until slightly softened and then add in your chopped garlic. At this point you may add your chilli flakes; however that is optional

3. Add your cut sardines and let fry for 2-3 minutes.

4. In a small pan toast your breadcrumbs in 1 tbsp of olive oil.

5. In the meantime, boil water and cook your pasta as per package (I like to use spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine for this dish). Reserve a cup of your salted pasta water.

6. Once pasta is cooked, add to your sauce, along with ½ cup of your pasta water (if you find the dish too dry you may add more) and give everything a good stir on low heat.

7. Top with fresh parsley, toasted breadcrumbs, lemon zest and Parmesan cheese.