Active Time

　　30 minutes

　　Total Time

　　45 minutes

　　In this Sicilian-inspired pasta dish, sweet fennel and raisins team up with toasty breadcrumbs and pine nuts to bring warmth and dimension to canned sardines. White wine and saffron add a sunny floral quality that brightens the dish even more. Like many sardine recipes, this one proves that you can transform a handful of pantry ingredients into a full dinner-party-worthy meal. 

　　Any sardines packed in oil will work here, but for the richest, most luxurious flavor, opt for sardines packed in olive oil. If you prefer a thicker, chewier pasta, reach for the bucatini, but if spaghetti is what you have, it will also work perfectly well.

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What you’ll need

　　Chevron

　　Chevron

　　Sardines Packed in Olive Oil

　　$17 At Amazon

　　Pine Nuts

　　$15 At Amazon

　　Saffron

　　$10 At Burlap and Barrel

　　

Ingredients

Makes 4 main-course servings

　　1 large fennel bulb (sometimes called anise; 1¼ lb), any fronds chopped and stalks trimmed flush with bulb and discarded

　　⅛ teaspoon crumbled saffron threads

　　½ cup raisins

　　½ cup dry white wine

　　1 medium onion, finely chopped

　　1 tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed

　　½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　2 (3¾- to 4⅜-ounce) cans sardines in oil, drained

　　1 pound bucatini or spaghetti

　　½ cup pine nuts, toasted

　　⅓ cup dry bread crumbs, toasted and tossed with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and salt to taste

　　

Step 1

Finely chop fennel bulb. Combine saffron, raisins, and wine in a bowl.

　　

Step 2

Cook onion, fennel bulb, and seeds in oil with salt to taste in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fennel is tender, about 15 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Add wine mixture and half of sardines, breaking sardines up with a fork, and simmer 1 minute.

　　

Step 4

While sauce is cooking, cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain in a colander.

　　

Step 5

Toss hot pasta in a bowl with fennel sauce, remaining sardines, fennel fronds, pine nuts, and salt and pepper to taste. Add bread crumbs and toss again.

　　Editor’s note: This recipe was first printed in the March 2002 issue of ‘Gourmet.’ Head this way for more of our favorite pasta recipes→