This delicious Pasta con le Sarde by Jamie Oliver is a simple and nutritious Sicilian dish packed with flavors from sardines, fennel, and pine nuts. The combination of sweet raisins and crispy breadcrumbs makes it a perfect balance of savory and sweet. A quick and easy meal that’s full of Mediterranean goodness!
Ingredients Needed
- 40g (1.4 oz) sultanas or raisins
- 1 onion
- 6 baby fennel bulbs (including green tops)
- 6 tablespoons (90ml) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads
- 200g (7 oz) toasted pine nuts
- 4 anchovy fillets (from sustainable sources)
- 12 sardines, cleaned and boned, heads removed, to produce butterfly fillets (from sustainable sources)
- 480g (17 oz) bucatini
- 2 tablespoons toasted breadcrumbs
How To Make Pasta Con Le Sarde
- Soak the raisins and prepare the onion: Soak the sultanas or raisins in warm water to plump them up. Peel and thinly slice the onion.
- Cook the fennel: 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.
- Sauté the onion and make the sauce: Heat half the oil (3 tablespoons) in a pan over medium heat and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Add 500ml (2 cups) of the reserved fennel water, saffron, drained sultanas or raisins, and pine nuts. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Cook the anchovies: Meanwhile, sauté the anchovies with the remaining oil (3 tablespoons) in a small pan over low heat for a few minutes until they disintegrate, then add to the sauce.
- Cook the sardines and fennel: 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.
- Cook the pasta and serve: Cook the bucatini in the boiling fennel water until al dente. Drain and serve with the sauce, sprinkling toasted breadcrumbs on top.
Recipe Tips
- Plump the raisins properly: Soak the sultanas or raisins in warm water long enough to make them soft. This helps balance the savory and sweet flavors.
- Cook the fennel water down: When you add the fennel water to the sauce, simmer it long enough to concentrate the flavors. This adds depth to the dish.
- Don’t overcook the sardines: Sardines cook quickly, so avoid overcooking them. You want them tender, not dry.
- Toast the breadcrumbs: Toasting the breadcrumbs before sprinkling them on top adds a crunchy texture and enhances the flavor of the dish.
How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover Pasta con le Sarde cool to room temperature. Then, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Freeze: After the dish has cooled, place it in an airtight container or freezer bag. You can freeze it for up to 1 month. To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheat: Place the pasta in a pan over low heat. Add a splash of water or olive oil and heat for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/6 of the recipe)
- Calories: 735
- Total Fat: 54.8g
- Saturated Fat: 8.8g
- Total Carbohydrate: 13.1g
- Dietary Fiber: 3.7g
- Sugars: 9.6g
- Protein: 46.3g
Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:
- Jamie Oliver Winter Squash Pasta Recipe
- Jamie Oliver Bolognese Ravioli Pasta
- Jamie Oliver Asparagus And Crab Pasta
- Jamie Oliver Prawn And Courgette Pasta
Jamie Oliver Pasta Con Le Sarde
Description
This delicious Pasta con le Sarde by Jamie Oliver is a simple and nutritious Sicilian dish packed with flavors from sardines, fennel, and pine nuts. The combination of sweet raisins and crispy breadcrumbs makes it a perfect balance of savory and sweet. A quick and easy meal that’s full of Mediterranean goodness!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Soak the raisins and prepare the onion: Soak the sultanas or raisins in warm water to plump them up. Peel and thinly slice the onion.
- Cook the fennel: 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.
- Sauté the onion and make the sauce: Heat half the oil (3 tablespoons) in a pan over medium heat and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Add 500ml (2 cups) of the reserved fennel water, saffron, drained sultanas or raisins, and pine nuts. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Cook the anchovies: Meanwhile, sauté the anchovies with the remaining oil (3 tablespoons) in a small pan over low heat for a few minutes until they disintegrate, then add to the sauce.
- Cook the sardines and fennel: 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.
- Cook the pasta and serve: Cook the bucatini in the boiling fennel water until al dente. Drain and serve with the sauce, sprinkling toasted breadcrumbs on top.
Notes
- Plump the raisins properly: Soak the sultanas or raisins in warm water long enough to make them soft. This helps balance the savory and sweet flavors.
- Cook the fennel water down: When you add the fennel water to the sauce, simmer it long enough to concentrate the flavors. This adds depth to the dish.
- Don’t overcook the sardines: Sardines cook quickly, so avoid overcooking them. You want them tender, not dry.
- Toast the breadcrumbs: Toasting the breadcrumbs before sprinkling them on top adds a crunchy texture and enhances the flavor of the dish.
Jamie Oliver Pasta Con Le Sarde