Recipe: Pasta with Sardines and Tomato Sauce (using fennel, pine nuts and currant, Itali

PASTA WITH SARDINES AND TOMATO SAUCE

1/2 pound leafy tops of fennel (or fresh dill or other herbs)
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 pound fresh sardines, cleaned, or canned sardines in olive oil, well drained
2 salted anchovies, filleted and rinsed, or 4 canned anchovy fillets
1/2 cup olive oil
1 heaping tablespoon pine nuts
1 heaping tablespoon dried currants
4 cups tomato sauce, divided use
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound uncooked spaghetti
3/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons sugar

Blanch the fennel for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and finely chop.
Set aside.

If using dill or dill with other herbs, just chop and set aside.

Combine the onion, sardines, anchovies and olive oil in a large saucepan and saute until the onion is golden, the sardines break up and the anchovies dissolve, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the fennel, pine nuts and currants and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve 3 tablespoons of tomato sauce for the topping and add the rest to the sardine mixture. Cover and simmer until the sauce does not separate, 25 to 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain.

For the breadcrumb mixture, toast the breadcrumbs in a large skillet. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and the reserved 3 tablespoons tomato sauce.

TO SERVE:
Mix the pasta with the sauce. Top with some of the breadcrumb mixture.

Makes about 6 servings
Source: The Flavors of Sicily by Anna Tasca Lanza