Pasta con le SardePasta with Sardines

Prepare the sardines and fennel

• 1 Remove the heads and innards from 400 g sardines and fillet both sides.
• 2 Boil 200 g fennel fronds in salted water for 5 minutes and chop finely.
• 3 Reserve 2000 ml cooking water.
• 4 Soak 40 g raisins in warm water for 10 minutes.

Sauté the onion and anchovies

• 1 Finely chop the white onion.
• 2 Place 4 tbsp olive oil and the white onion in a frying pan and sauté over medium heat.
• 3 When the onion is translucent, add 4 anchovy fillets and dissolve them with a spatula.

Add half the sardines to form the sauce base

• 1 Add half the sardines and sauté for 3–4 minutes, breaking them up with a spatula.
• 2 MeanwhileTransfer the fennel cooking water to a large pot and start bringing it to the boil, adding 10 g salt.

Add the remaining ingredients and simmer

• 1 Add the soaked raisins, 30 g pine nuts, saffron dissolved in warm water and chopped fennel, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• 2 Add the remaining sardines and cook for 2 minutes, keeping their shape.

Boil the pasta and toss with the sauce

• 1 Cook 400 g bucatini in the fennel cooking water.
• 2 Toss with the sauce and serve on plates.
• 3 If desired, sprinkle with muddica atturrata, breadcrumbs toasted in a frying pan.