Serves

4 people

Ingredients

400 g (14 oz) bucatini or spaghetti
500 g (1.1 lb) fresh sardines, cleaned and filleted
1 large bunch wild fennel (or fennel fronds)
1 large onion, finely sliced
60 ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
40 g (¼ cup) pine nuts
40 g (¼ cup) raisins
2 anchovy fillets
1 sachet saffron
100 g (3½ oz) fresh breadcrumbs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pasta con le sarde

Iconic dish of Sicily, very famous ancient recipe in Catania and Palermo, based on spaghetti or bucatini, sardines, wild fennel and toaste bread crumb.

Method

1. Prepare the fennel

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the wild fennel for about 15–20 minutes until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain well, chop finely, and reserve.

Do not discard the cooking water—it will be used to cook the pasta.

2. Toast the breadcrumbs

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a small pan.

Add the breadcrumbs and toast over medium heat until evenly golden and crisp.Set aside.

3. Prepare the sauce

Soak the raisins in warm water for about 10 minutes.

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil.

Add the sliced onion and cook slowly until soft and translucent.

Stir in the anchovy fillets, allowing them to dissolve completely.

Add the chopped fennel, pine nuts, drained raisins, and saffron dissolved in a few tablespoons of the fennel cooking water.

Cook gently for 5 minutes.

4. Cook the sardines

Cut the sardine fillets into large pieces.

Add them to the sauce and cook gently for 2–3 minutes, just until they begin to break apart.

Season lightly with salt and black pepper.

5. Cook the pasta

Cook the pasta in the reserved fennel water until al dente.

Reserve one cup of cooking water before draining.

6. Finish the dish

Transfer the pasta directly to the pan with the sauce.

Add a splash of pasta water and toss gently until everything is well combined and silky.

Serve immediately, generously topped with the toasted breadcrumbs, known in Sicily as "muddica atturrata", or "poor man's Parmesan."

Chef's Tips

Fresh sardines are essential; their delicate flavor defines the dish.
Wild fennel gives the recipe its unmistakable aroma.
Toast the breadcrumbs slowly until deep golden, never burnt.
The sweetness of the raisins should balance—not dominate—the savory flavors.
Avoid overcooking the sardines to preserve their delicate texture.

Wine Pairing

A crisp Sicilian white wine enhances the aromatic fennel and the richness of the sardines.

Recommended:

Grillo Sicilia DOC
Catarratto Sicilia DOC
Etna Bianco DOC

Origins

Pasta con le Sardeis believed to date back to the Arab rule of Sicily during the 9th century. According to tradition, an Arab cook accompanying General Eufemio da Messina created the dish by combining the ingredients available along the Sicilian coast: fresh sardines from the sea, wild fennel growing in the countryside, raisins and saffron introduced by Arab traders, and locally harvested pine nuts. The result was a remarkable fusion of cultures that remains one of Sicily's most iconic recipes.