Pasta with Sardines

Ingredients

• 600 g fresh sardines (ready to cook)
• 2 bulbs fennel (with greens)
• Salt
• 40 g raisins
• 2 tbsp chopped dill sprigs
• 6 anchovy fillets
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 0.5 tsp grated lemon zest
• 6 tbsp Olive oil
• pepper (ground)
• 1 small onion
• 40 g pine nuts
• 1 pinch saffron strands
• 400 g spaghetti

Instructions

1. 1.

   Wash sardines and split into two fillets. Clean and wash fennel, cut lengthwise into eighths and slice very thinly or grate. Set aside fennel greens. Blanch fennel in boiling salted water for 1 minute, shock in cold water, drain. Reserve one cup of the blanching water and soak raisins in it.

2. 2.

   Finely chop fennel greens. Crush anchovy fillets, peel garlic cloves and press through a garlic press, crush fennel seeds in a mortar. Mix anchovies, garlic, fennel greens and dill with lemon zest and 3 tbsp olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Peel and finely mince onion. Bring plenty of water to boil for pasta, add generous salt. Cook spaghetti until al dente.

3. 3.

   Meanwhile heat remaining oil in a pan, sauté onion until translucent, add sardines and cook over medium heat. Add fennel, raisins with soaking liquid, anchovy paste and pine nuts. Dissolve saffron in a little water and stir in. Season with salt and pepper, let simmer for 4-5 minutes.

4. 4.

   Drain pasta, mix with sauce and serve immediately.