Best 2 Chef Johns Pasta Con Le Sarde Recipes
Sicily is an island with a rich culinary tradition, and pasta con le sarde is one of its most iconic dishes. This dish is a delightful combination of flavors and textures, featuring fresh sardines, wild fennel, pine nuts, raisins, and currants. The sardines provide a delicate briny flavor, while the fennel adds a subtle anise note. The pine nuts and raisins add a touch of sweetness and crunch, and the currants add a hint of tartness. Pasta con le sarde is typically served with a sprinkling of grated ricotta salata cheese, which adds a salty and creamy finish to the dish.
In this article, we present two versions of this classic Sicilian dish: a traditional recipe and a simplified version for busy home cooks. Both recipes are packed with flavor and will transport you to the sun-kissed shores of Sicily. So gather your ingredients and let's get cooking!
IANA'S PASTA CON LE SARDE
A traditional Sicilian pasta recipe with a tomato-based sauce, sardines, and fennel. Credit goes to Iana, a special lady who lived near Castello a Mare.
Provided by FredWilliams
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 45m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add fennel bulb, fronds, and onion. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute. Add sardines with oil; stir until crumbled. Stir in raisins, pine nuts, basil, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes; cook until toasted. Pour in tomatoes. Let sauce simmer.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in another pan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add bread crumbs and basil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Drain pasta; serve topped with the sauce, seasoned bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 467.6 calories, Carbohydrate 68.5 g, Cholesterol 45.8 mg, Fat 13.1 g, Fiber 6 g, Protein 20.7 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, Sodium 438.9 mg, Sugar 6.7 g
PASTA CON LE SARDE
When the photographer and filmmaker Robert Trachtenberg brought this recipe to The Times in 2008, he described it as "a perfectly balanced combination of sardines, fennel, currants and bread crumbs." Adapted from Gusto in Greenwich Village, this seafood pasta needs no cheese: The saltiness and bite from the sardines and the sautéed vegetables should be more than enough.
Provided by Robert Trachtenberg
Categories dinner, pastas, main course
Time 1h
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Combine the currants, red-pepper flakes and wine in a bowl; set aside. In a small sauté pan, melt the butter. Add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring, until golden brown. Transfer to a bowl, stir in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and set aside.
- In a heavy skillet, heat 1/2 cup olive oil over medium-low heat. When hot, add the onion, garlic, fennel bulb and fennel seeds. Season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fennel is tender, about 25 minutes.
- Add the wine mixture and the sardines, breaking them into pieces with a fork. Bring to a boil and gently simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add enough salt to the boiling water so that it tastes salty. Boil the bucatini until al dente, 6 to 8 minutes; strain. Return the pasta to the pasta pot and set over low heat. Fold in the fennel-sardine mixture. Toss in the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil. Add 3/4 of the fennel fronds, the pine nuts, the capers and a quarter of the bread crumbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Divide pasta among plates and sprinkle the remaining bread crumbs and fennel fronds over each. Serve immediately.
Tips:
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients: This will make a big difference in the flavor of your dish.
- Don't overcrowd the pan: When cooking the pasta, make sure to use a large enough pot so that the pasta has room to move around.
- Cook the pasta al dente: This means that the pasta should be cooked until it is still slightly firm to the bite.
- Use a good quality olive oil: Olive oil is a key ingredient in this dish, so make sure to use a good quality oil that has a fruity flavor.
- Don't skimp on the sardines: Sardines are the star of this dish, so make sure to use plenty of them.
- Add the sardines at the end of cooking: This will help to prevent them from becoming overcooked and dry.
- Season the dish to taste: This dish should be flavorful, so don't be afraid to add salt, pepper, and other seasonings to taste.
Conclusion:
Pasta con le sarde is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal. The combination of sardines, pasta, and tomatoes is simple but flavorful, and the dish is sure to please everyone at the table. So next time you're looking for a new pasta dish to try, give this one a try. You won't be disappointed!
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