Linguine con Sarde
Sicilian cooking makes resourceful and delightful use of fennel, sardines, and pine nuts - not always at once, but certainly happily in this pasta dish that has almost infinite variations. Don't be afraid of the canned sardines here - there are better and worse varieties, but almost all will work.
Ingredients (for 2-3 persons)
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced (reserve feathery leaves, if any)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can tomatoes or equivalent passata
1 lemon
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 can sardines
250g linguine (or other long pasta, percatelli or similar)
olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts (optional)
Method
Heat 1/3 cup of olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan and add fennel slices. Toss occasionally, and cook until there is some significant browning - this caramelization is important to the flavour of the dish.
Add crushed garlic and toss again. After two minutes, add tomatoes. Cook these gently for 10 minutes or so to reduce the liquid a little and allow flavours to combine.
Meanwhile zest lemon, and combine zest with breadcrumbs and fennel tops (or some chopped parsley). Juice lemon and add 1-2 Tbps to the sauce.
Add linguine to a pot of boiling salted water. Add sardines to the sauce; they will break up somewhat whatever you do, so no need to do anything active to them.
When pasta is nearly cooked, drain, reserving a cup of cooking water, and carefully combine pasta and sauce, returning to medium heat. Add a little water and cover for 2-3 minutes. Check for al dente status; when ready, divide between bowls and add lemon-crumb mixture.
Ingredients (for 2-3 persons)
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced (reserve feathery leaves, if any)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can tomatoes or equivalent passata
1 lemon
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 can sardines
250g linguine (or other long pasta, percatelli or similar)
olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts (optional)
Method
Heat 1/3 cup of olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan and add fennel slices. Toss occasionally, and cook until there is some significant browning - this caramelization is important to the flavour of the dish.
Add crushed garlic and toss again. After two minutes, add tomatoes. Cook these gently for 10 minutes or so to reduce the liquid a little and allow flavours to combine.
Meanwhile zest lemon, and combine zest with breadcrumbs and fennel tops (or some chopped parsley). Juice lemon and add 1-2 Tbps to the sauce.
Add linguine to a pot of boiling salted water. Add sardines to the sauce; they will break up somewhat whatever you do, so no need to do anything active to them.
When pasta is nearly cooked, drain, reserving a cup of cooking water, and carefully combine pasta and sauce, returning to medium heat. Add a little water and cover for 2-3 minutes. Check for al dente status; when ready, divide between bowls and add lemon-crumb mixture.
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