Ingredients

The following ingredients have 6 Servings
  • 40 g sultanas or raisins
  • 1 onion
  • 6 baby fennel bulbs including green tops
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon saffron threads
  • 200 g toasted pine nuts
  • 4 anchovy fillets from sustainable sources
  • 12 sardines cleaned and boned, heads removed, to produce butterfly fillets, from sustainable sources
  • 480 g bucatini
  • 2 tablespoons toasted breadcrumbs

Instruction

  • Soak the sultanas or raisins in warm water to plump up. Peel and thinly slice the onion.
  • Cook the fennel in plenty of boiling, salted water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender. Transfer with a slotted spoon to kitchen paper to dry, then roughly chop and place in a bowl, reserving the cooking water.
  • Heat half the oil in a pan over a medium heat and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Add 500ml of the water used to cook the fennel, as well as the saffron, drained sultanas or raisins and pine nuts and simmer over a low heat for 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, sauté the anchovies with the remaining oil in a small pan over a low heat for a few minutes until they disintegrate, then add to the sauce.
  • Add the sardines to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the fennel. Season generously with sea salt and black pepper and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling fennel water until al dente. Drain and serve with the sauce, sprinkling breadcrumbs on top.