Pasta Con Sarde
Instructions:
- 1/4 Cup; plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Pound Fresh sardines
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Cup Flour
- 1 Pound Small dried macaroni
- 1 Pinch Saffron
- 1 Cup Small diced onions
- 6 Canned anchovies; drained
- 1 Tablespoon Chopped garlic
- 1 Fennel bulb; cooked until tender and small diced
- 2 Tablespoon Sultanas
- 2 Tablespoon Pine nuts
- 1−1/2 Cup Water
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a medium casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Clean the sardines by removing the heads and filleting. Season the fillets with salt and pepper. Season the flour with salt and pepper.
- Dredge the fillets in the flour, coating completely. In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add 1/4 cup of the olive oil.
- When the oil is hot, pan−fry the fillets, for a couple of minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook al dente. In a saute pan, over medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot, add the saffron and onions. Season with salt and pepper.
- Saute until wilted, about 4 to 6 minutes. Using the back of a fork, mash the anchovies to form a paste.
- Add the anchovies, garlic, fennel, sultanas and pine nuts. Season with pepper. Saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the water and continue to cook for 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat. Drain the pasta and cool in cold water for a few minutes.
- Toss the pasta with 3/4 of the anchovy mixture. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon half of the pasta mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Lay the sardines over the pasta.
- Spoon the remaining pasta over the sardines. Pour the remaining anchovy sauce over the pasta.
- Place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and serve.
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings