Dive into the delectable flavors of the Mediterranean with our curated collection of pasta dishes featuring sardines and fennel. These recipes offer a harmonious blend of briny seafood, aromatic herbs, and tangy citrus, creating a symphony of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. From the classic Spaghetti con Sarde e Finocchietto to the innovative Pasta with Sardines and Orange, each dish showcases the versatility of these humble ingredients. Whether you prefer a quick and easy weeknight meal or an elegant dinner party entree, our recipes provide a range of options to suit your culinary preferences. Embark on this culinary journey and discover the delightful possibilities of sardines and fennel in pasta.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
CARAMELIZED FENNEL, CELERY, AND SARDINE PASTA
This version of pasta con le sarde, a heart-healthy Sicilian classic, uses tinned sardines rather than fresh, cutting down on prep time. Sardine bones, softened during canning, are barely noticeable -- and full of calcium.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Seafood Recipes
Time 25m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Heat oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add fennel, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and deep golden, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water; drain.
- Add pasta and pasta water to skillet with vegetables. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring to coat pasta, until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in fennel fronds, celery leaves, and lemon zest. Break up sardines into large pieces and gently fold into pasta. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil.
SICILIAN BUCATINI WITH SARDINES
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 40m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente. Reserve 1 1/4 cups cooking water, then drain. Reserve the pot.
- Meanwhile, put the raisins in a small bowl and add hot tap water to just cover; set aside. Mix 2 teaspoons olive oil with the breadcrumbs and 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds; toast in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
- Wipe out the pasta pot and heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and fennel bulb and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fennel is tender and golden, about 8 minutes. Add the pine nuts, turmeric and remaining 1 teaspoon fennel seeds and cook, stirring, until the oil is golden and the nuts and spices are toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the raisins and soaking water and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water; remove from the heat.
- Add the pasta, sardines and fennel fronds to the pot. Return to medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until coated, adding the remaining cooking water as needed to loosen. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls, drizzle with olive oil and top with the toasted breadcrumbs.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 680, Fat 31 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Cholesterol 16 milligrams, Sodium 277 milligrams, Carbohydrate 83 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 20 grams, Sugar 13 grams
PASTA WITH FENNEL AND SARDINES
Provided by Paula Wolfert
Categories dinner, pastas
Time 1h
Yield 4 - 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Wash the bulb fennel tops, and cut off hard parts of the stalks and the tougher sprigs. Save bulb for some other dish. Cook fennel tops and dill in three quarts salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Scoop out fennel and dill, and set aside. Reserve fennel cooking water for cooking the pasta and moistening the sauce as it cooks.
- Soak currants (and tomato, if used) in saffron-tinted hot water for 10 minutes.
- In a wide, heavy skillet, gently cook the onions in the olive oil until they are soft and golden. Add the anchovies and crush them with the back of a fork. Cook one minute. Remove from heat.
- Roughly chop the fennel and dill (this can be done using the metal blade of a food processor and the on/ off button).
- Place the chopped fennel and dill, currants, tomato if used, soaking liquid, ground fennel seed, pine nuts and one-half cup of the reserved fennel cooking water in the skillet. Simmer, stirring, for two minutes to blend flavors. Fold in the sardines, crushing a few of them into the sauce. If sauce seems too dry, add a few tablespoons of the fennel water. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and set aside. Makes about two cups and can be prepared to this point in advance.
- Twenty minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cook the pasta in the reserved water and boil until barely tender. Drain pasta; toss with half the sauce and arrange in a baking-serving dish. Spread the remaining sauce on top. Cover with foil and set in the oven for five minutes. Serve very hot. Pass a cruet of olive oil.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 647, UnsaturatedFat 45 grams, Carbohydrate 35 grams, Fat 54 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 7 grams, SaturatedFat 7 grams, Sodium 331 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams
PASTA CON LE SARDE (SICILIAN PASTA WITH SARDINES) RECIPE
A classic pasta from Palermo in Siciliy, pasta con le sarde (pasta with sardines) is unlike just about any other Italian pasta dish. Heavily influenced by the cooking of Arabs that ruled Sicily more than a thousand years ago, it features long bucatini or spaghetti in a slick, luscious, and fragrant sauce made from onions, fennel, raisins, pine nuts, anchovies, sardines, and saffron. Instead of cheese, toasted and seasoned bread crumbs grace the plate.
Provided by Daniel Gritzer
Categories Mains Quick Dinners
Time 35m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Mince half the fennel fronds and reserve the other half whole.
- Add pine nuts and sardines and cook, stirring, until sardines are just barely cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente, then drain, reserving at least 1 cup pasta cooking water.
- Transfer pasta to skillet along with 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Return skillet to medium-high heat and cook, stirring and tossing, until pasta is well coated in sauce and any excess liquid has cooked off. Drizzle on some fresh olive oil (don't be shy) along with the minced fennel fronds, and toss well. Season with salt. Add a very small handful of bread crumbs and toss once more.
- If at any point the pasta becomes too dry, add additional pasta cooking water in 1/4-cup increments, and toss to loosen and moisten (you can also drizzle on more olive oil as desired). The noodles should be slick and glossy with a sheen of sauce, but not sitting in a watery puddle.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 749 kcal, Carbohydrate 59 g, Cholesterol 146 mg, Fiber 6 g, Protein 38 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, Sodium 720 mg, Sugar 13 g, Fat 40 g, ServingSize Serves 4, UnsaturatedFat 0 g
PASTA WITH SARDINES, BREAD CRUMBS AND CAPERS
This quick and easy version of the classic Sicilian pasta dish comes together in about 20 minutes with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and fridge. You can pick up anything you're missing at the corner deli.
Provided by Mark Bittman
Categories dinner, easy, lunch, quick, weekday, pastas, appetizer, main course
Time 20m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Put half the oil (2 tablespoons) in a medium skillet over medium heat. When it's hot, add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, less than 5 minutes, and then remove. Add the remaining oil and the onion to the pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until just tender; drain, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Turn the heat under the onions to medium-high and add the lemon zest, capers and sardines; cook, stirring occasionally, until just heated through, about 2 minutes.
- Add the pasta to the sardine mixture and toss well to combine. Add the parsley, most of the bread crumbs and some reserved water, if necessary, to moisten. Taste and adjust seasoning, garnishing with more parsley and bread crumbs.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 485, UnsaturatedFat 12 grams, Carbohydrate 65 grams, Fat 15 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 21 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 363 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams
SPICY FENNEL LINGUINE WITH SARDINES & CAPERS
Fennel adds an aniseed punch to this quick pasta dish with chilli-infused sardines, zesty lemon and parsley
Provided by Jane Hornby
Categories Dinner, Lunch, Main course, Pasta, Supper
Time 25m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Cook the pasta following pack instructions until al dente. Meanwhile, drain the oil from the sardines into a large frying pan set over a medium heat. Add the fennel, garlic and lemon zest, then cook for 10 mins, stirring often, until the fennel is tender and starting to colour.
- Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water. Tip the sardines (and the whole chillies from the can, if you like) onto the fennel. Break the fish up a little with a wooden spoon, then add the capers, parsley, pasta and 2 tbsp lemon juice. Season to taste. If the pasta seems a little dry, add 2 tbsp of the cooking water and stir gently. Pile onto plates and drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil, if you like.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 552 calories, Fat 20 grams fat, SaturatedFat 3 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 65 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 5 grams sugar, Fiber 8 grams fiber, Protein 25 grams protein, Sodium 0.9 milligram of sodium
PASTA WITH FENNEL, SARDINES, AND PINE NUTS
Sardines in a pine-nut-and-fennel sauce add complex flavors and protein to this easy pasta dish.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Seafood Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions, about 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine oil and pine nuts in a large saute pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until nuts are lightly toasted, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add onion, sliced fennel, garlic, and salt to pan; season with pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and light golden, 9 to 10 minutes. Add sardines; stir in lemon zest and juice. Chop reserved fennel fronds; stir into mixture.
- Drain pasta, reserving about 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add pasta to mixture in pan along with enough cooking water to coat; toss to combine. Divide among four serving plates; grate lemon zest over each. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 571 g, Cholesterol 20 g, Fat 17 g, Fiber 13 g, Protein 28 g, Sodium 548 g
SICILIAN-STYLE PASTA WITH SARDINES
Steps:
- Finely chop fennel bulb. Combine saffron, raisins, and wine in a bowl.
- Cook onion, fennel bulb, and seeds in oil with salt to taste in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fennel is tender, about 15 minutes.
- Add wine mixture and half of sardines, breaking sardines up with a fork, and simmer 1 minute.
- While sauce is cooking, cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain in a colander.
- Toss hot pasta in a bowl with fennel sauce, remaining sardines, fennel fronds, pine nuts, and salt and pepper to taste. Add bread crumbs and toss again.
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 WITH PINE NUTS, BROCCOLI, SARDINES & FENNEL
A typically Sicilian flavour combination - sweet raisins, spicy olive oil, crunchy pine nuts and salty fish
Provided by John Torode
Categories Dinner, Main course
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil, with a splash of oil, then add the pasta. Cook following pack instructions, adding the broccoli for the final 5 mins.
- Meanwhile, gently heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onions and sliced garlic, and cook slowly for 2 mins. Add the fennel and cook for a couple more mins, until softened. Flake the sardines into the pan and stir around for a few more mins to break them up.
- Tip the pasta and broccoli into the pan with the pine nuts, raisins and lemon juice. Toss together to let the pasta absorb the oil, season well and serve immediately, scattered with lemon zest and chilli flakes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 462 calories, Fat 13 grams fat, SaturatedFat 2 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 67 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 10 grams sugar, Fiber 7 grams fiber, Protein 18 grams protein, Sodium 0.1 milligram of sodium
Tips:
- Fresh Ingredients: Use the freshest sardines, fennel, and tomatoes you can find for the best flavor.
- Quality Olive Oil: Opt for a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil to enhance the taste of the dish.
- Toast the Breadcrumbs: Toasting the breadcrumbs adds a lovely crunchy texture and nutty flavor to the pasta.
- Seasoning: Don't be shy with the seasoning! Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes add essential flavor to the dish.
- Fresh Herbs: Garnish the pasta with fresh herbs like parsley, basil, or oregano for an extra touch of freshness and aroma.
Conclusion:
Pasta with sardines and fennel is a simple yet flavorful dish that showcases the beauty of fresh, Mediterranean ingredients. The delicate sardines, aromatic fennel, and tangy tomatoes come together in perfect harmony, creating a delightful meal that is both satisfying and healthy. Whether you're a seasoned home cook or just starting out, this recipe is sure to impress with its ease of preparation and delicious results. So gather your ingredients, put on your apron, and let's get cooking!
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