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Finished bucatini with sardines and fennel in a pan, served with wine and toasted breadcrumbs.

Pasta con le Sarde alla Palermitana Recipe

The combination of raisins, sardines, warm spices, and pine nuts makes this Pasta con le Sarde alla Palermitana unbelievably satisfying. Add breadcrumbs on top for a next-level finish.

Course: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Manuela Zangara

Ingredients

  • 500 g – 1.1 lbs. sardine fillets – cleaned, deboned, and halved
  • ½ onion – chopped
  • 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 anchovies
  • 500 g – 1.1 lbs. fennel tops – boiled and chopped
  • 1 tbsp pine nuts
  • 1 tbsp raisins
  • 1 pinch saffron – melted in 2 tbsp hot water
  • salt and pepper
  • 8 tbsp breadcrumbs
  • 350 g – 12 oz. Bucatini pasta or Spaghetti

Instructions

  1. Boil the fennel tops in hot salted water. When they are soft, lift them out with a slotted spoon and set them aside. Keep the cooking liquid for the pasta, then chop the fennel tops once they have cooled.
  2. Toast the breadcrumbs in a pan over low heat. Stir constantly so they do not burn. When they turn golden brown, turn off the heat and set them aside.
  3. Place the saffron in a small cup with 2 tablespoons of hot water and set aside.
  4. Soak the raisins in hot water to soften.
  5. Sauté the onion in a pan with the extra virgin olive oil.
  6. When the onion becomes translucent, add the anchovy fillets and break them up with a wooden spoon over low heat until they melt.
  7. Add the chopped fennel tops and mix well.
  8. Add the sardines, pine nuts, saffron, and drained raisins, then stir to combine.
  9. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Add some fennel-cooking liquid if the mixture looks dry, then turn off the heat and keep the sauce aside.

  10. Cook the Bucatini in the reserved fennel liquid (add extra water if needed so the pasta stays covered and cooks evenly) following the “How to Cook Pasta al Dente” method. Drain the pasta 1 minute early so it can finish cooking in the sauce.

  11. Transfer the drained pasta to the pan with the sardine and fennel sauce. Mix well and heat on a low flame for 1-2 minutes so the pasta absorbs the flavour.
  12. Serve immediately with toasted breadcrumbs on top.