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Sardines step out of can and into pasta dish


Sicilians have a classic dish that pairs sardines with golden raisins and wild fennel for a sweet and sour combination.
BILL HOGAN/CHICAGO TRIBUNE
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Date published: 1/2/2013

By Joe Gray

Chicago Tribune

With cans of specialty imported sardines in hand, I thought to make something a little different, instead of just eating them my usual way, plain. Pasta came to mind, as it often does.

The Sicilians have a classic dish pairing sardines with golden raisins and wild fennel, for a sweet and sour combination that plays beautifully against the rich fish. But the traditional dish calls for fresh sardines.

And wild fennel, while apparently abundant on the Italian island, is nearly impossible to find here.

It seemed, though, that good canned sardines and fennel bulb could stand in. Adapting a traditional recipe from "Made in Sicily," by Giorgio Locatelli, following guidelines from a recipe using canned sardines from Epicurious.com, did the trick.

;">Tip: Leave out the saffron, pine nuts and fennel seed if you don't have them on hand. You'll still have a tasty dish.


PASTA WITH SARDINES

Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 18 minutesMakes 6 servings

cup golden raisins 1 pound spaghetti 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped teaspoon salt cup each: dry white wine, chicken broth Pinch saffron threads, crumbled 3 cans (3.75 to 4.37 ounces each) sardines in oil, drained 1 teaspoon fennel seeds to cup pine nuts, toasted (see cook's note) cup breadcrumbs, toasted (see cook's note)

Cook's note: For pine nuts, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until lightly browned, watching carefully to prevent burning. For bread crumbs, toast, also in a dry skillet, until crispy.

Directions: 1. Place raisins in cup of hot water to soak, 20 minutes. 2. Cook spaghetti in a stockpot of well-salted boiling water until al dente. 3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the fennel and onion; season with a sprinkle of salt. 4 Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, 10 minutes. 5. Add the wine and broth; allow to reduce slightly. Drain raisins; add raisins, saffron and half the sardines to the skillet. 6. Break up the sardines into the sauce with a fork. Simmer, 1 minute. Coarsely chop remaining sardines in bite-size pieces; gently stir into the sauce along with fennel seeds. 7. Drain the pasta, saving cup pasta cooking water. 8. Add the spaghetti to the skillet, tossing with the sauce and adding a little pasta water to loosen the sauce, if needed. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and breadcrumbs. Nutritional information per serving: Per serving: 577 calories, 17g fat, 2g saturated fat, 75mg cholesterol, 80g carbohydrates, 27g protein, 554mg sodium, 6g fiber


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