PASTA CON LE SARDE (Pasta with sardines, from Palermo, made with fennel, pine nuts and currants)

Pasta con le Sarde – Sicily on a Plate– A Classic Sicilian Pasta of Sardines, Fennel and Breadcrumbs

I recently sent three recipes to SBS, all of which are now published on my website. One of those recipes, Sarde a Beccafico, was selected for the SBS food series My Family Feast and cooked by chef Sean Connolly. You can watch it prepared online during the broadcast of the series.

Another dish that truly defines Sicilian cooking is pasta con le sarde. You cannot travel to Sicily and not encounter it. While there are many regional variations of sardine-based pasta sauces—often all referred to by the same name—the most famous and enduring version comes from Palermo. Traditionally, this pasta can be eaten hot or served at room temperature, depending on the season and occasion.

Sweet, Savoury and Fragrant

What I love most about Sicilian cooking is its confident play between contrasts. Sweet and savoury, salty and aromatic often coexist in the same dish. Pasta con le sarde is a perfect example.

The strong, oily richness of fresh sardines is balanced by the cleansing flavour of fennel, the sweetness of currants or raisins, and the delicate aroma of pine nuts. The final flourish is a scattering of toasted breadcrumbs, used in the same way that grated cheese is used elsewhere in Italy.

Historically, breadcrumbs were likely a substitute for cheese among poorer communities. In some versions of this dish, the pasta and sauce are layered in a baking dish, topped generously with breadcrumbs, and baked until a crust forms—adding yet another layer of texture.

Wild Fennel and Practical Substitutes

In Sicily, wild fennel (finucchiu sarvaggiu) is sold in small bunches at markets. In Australia, it isn’t commercially available, but it grows prolifically in neglected areas—along roadsides, vacant land and riverbanks. It is easy to recognise by its strong aniseed aroma, vivid green colour and fine, fern-like fronds.

I collect only the young, tender shoots, always ensuring the plant looks healthy and hasn’t been sprayed. Unlike Florence fennel, wild fennel has no bulb and a much stronger flavour—one reason insects and animals tend to leave it alone.

If wild fennel isn’t available, fresh bulb fennel can be used instead, though the flavour will be milder. Choose bulbs with green fronds attached, and enhance the taste by adding fennel seeds. I often buy extra fennel and save the fronds to use as an herb in other dishes.

Variations and Origins

The addition of almonds is a local variation and entirely optional. They add another layer of flavour and texture. If you omit them, simply double the quantity of pine nuts.

The origins of pasta chi sardi (in Sicilian) are often attributed to Arab influence. One popular story tells of an Arab cook tasked with feeding troops after they landed in Sicily. Faced with limited supplies, he improvised using what was foraged—wild herbs (fennel) and sardines—enhanced with saffron, dried fruit and nuts, all flavours introduced by Arab culture.

A Personal Memory

I remember returning to Australia after eating pasta con le sarde at a restaurant in Palermo called L’Ingrasciata (which in Sicilian loosely translates to “the dirty one”). I cooked the dish for friends soon after, and it was met with great enthusiasm. I’ve continued to prepare it over the years, especially as sardines are plentiful, sustainable and now widely available in Australia.

In Sicily, pasta con le sarde is served as a primo (first course). In Australia, I’m happy to present it as a main, using more generous quantities of fish. I usually follow it with a green salad as a separate course—never alongside the pasta. Some habits are hard to break. In Italy, salad is a contorno, served only with a main course, never with pasta, risotto or soup.

Traditionally the sauce is made with sardines that are butterflied (i.e. remove the backbone), or as the Italians say, aperti come un libro (opened like a book). I buy fillets to save time.

Recipe: Pasta con le Sarde

Ingredients

• Bucatini – 500 g
• Sardines – 700 g (butterflied or fillets)
• Wild fennel – approx. 200 g (or 1 large fennel bulb with fronds + 1 tsp fennel seeds)
• Extra virgin olive oil – about 1 cup
• Onions – 2, finely sliced
• Anchovies – 4, finely chopped
• Pine nuts – 1 cup
• Almonds – 1 cup, toasted and chopped (optional)
• Currants – ¾ cup (or seedless raisins/sultanas)
• Saffron – ½–1 tsp
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Breadcrumbs – 4–5 tbsp

Method

Cook the Fennel

Place wild fennel in cold, salted water and boil for 10–15 minutes. This fennel-scented water will later be used to cook the pasta.
Drain the fennel, gently squeeze out excess water, roughly chop, and reserve. Keep the cooking water.

If using bulb fennel, cut into quarters, reserve fronds for later, add fennel seeds, and boil until tender.

Prepare the Sauce

Cut two-thirds of the sardines into chunky pieces; reserve whole fillets for finishing.
Heat olive oil in a wide, shallow pan. Sauté onions until golden.
Add pine nuts, currants and almonds (if using).
Add chopped sardines, seasoning, and uncooked fennel. Cook gently for 5–10 minutes.
Add anchovies, crushing them into the sauce as they dissolve.
Stir in cooked fennel and saffron dissolved in warm water.

Cook the Pasta

Boil bucatini in the reserved fennel water until al dente.
Meanwhile, lightly fry the reserved whole sardine fillets in a separate pan and set aside.

To Assemble (Stovetop Version)

Add drained pasta to the sauce and leave for 5–10 minutes to absorb flavours.
Gently fold in whole sardine fillets.
Transfer to a serving bowl and finish with toasted breadcrumbs.

To Bake (Optional)

Oil an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
Layer pasta, sauce and sardines, finishing with breadcrumbs and a drizzle of olive oil.
Bake at 200°C for about 10 minutes. A teaspoon of sugar sprinkled on top helps form a crisp crust.

Related

Sarde a Beccafico – featured on the SBS series My Family Feast and cooked by Sean Connolly.

bucatini, 500g

sardines, 700g

fennel, wild is preferable, stalks and foliage, about 200g. If not, a large bulb of fennel with the fronds, cut into quarters and a teaspoon of fennel seeds to strengthen the flavour

extra virgin olive oil, about 1 cup

onions, 2, finely sliced

anchovies, 4, cut finely

pine nuts, 1 cup

almonds, 1 cup, toasted and chopped (optional)

currants, ¾ cup, or seedless raisins or sultanas

saffron, ½-1 small teaspoon

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

breadcrumbs, 4–5 tablespoons

Cook the fennel

The wild fennel is put into cold, salted water (to give maximum flavour to the water) and boiled for 10-15 minutes (it can be left in the water for longer). The green tinged, fennel-flavoured water will be used to cook the pasta – it will flavour and colour the pasta. The boiled fennel is added as an ingredient in the sauce. Reserve some wild fennel to use in the cooking the fish.

If using the bulb fennel, wash and cut the bulb fennel into quarters but reserve the green fronds to use raw in the cooking the fish. Add fennel seeds and boil until tender.

Drain the cooked fennel in colander, and then gently squeeze out the water. Discard the seeds and keep the fennel-flavoured water to cook the pasta.

Chop the fennel roughly, this will be added to the sauce later.

Cut about two thirds of the sardine fillets into thick pieces. The whole fillets go on top and are used to provide visual impact.

Heat oil in shallow wide pan, suitable for making the pasta sauce and to include the pasta once it is cooked.

Sauté the onions over medium heat until golden.

Add pine nuts, raisins and almonds (optional). Toss gently.

Add the sliced sardines, salt and pepper and the uncooked fennel. Cook on gentle heat for about 5-10 minutes, stirring gently.

Add the anchovies (try to remove any bones if there are any) and as they cook, crush them with back of spoon to dissolve into a paste.

Add the cooked chopped fennel and the saffron dissolved in a little warm water and continue to stir and cook gently.

Boil bucatini in the fennel water until al dente.

Fry the whole fillets of sardines in a separate frying pan, keeping them intact.

Remove them from the pan and put aside.

Drain the pasta.

At this stage the pasta can be assembled and presented, or baked.

To assemble:

Place the pasta into the saucepan in which you have cooked the fish sauce.

Leave the pasta in the saucepan for 5-10 minutes to incorporate the flavours and to preserve some warmth.

Gently fold in the whole sardines.

When ready to serve, tip the pasta and fish mixture into a serving bowl, arranging the whole fillets or butterflied sardines on top and dress the whole dish with the toasted breadcrumbs.

If you are baking the pasta:

Oil a baking tray or an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with toasted breadcrumbs to prevent sticking (it is not necessary that they be browned in oil, just browned in the oven).

Place a layer of pasta on the breadcrumbs, top with some of the fish sauce and some whole fillets of sardines. Form another layer and ensure that some of the whole fillets are kept for the top.

Cover with fresh breadcrumbs and sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil and bake in preheated 200C oven for approximately 10 minutes. A teaspoon of sugar can also be sprinkled on top of the breadcrumbs – this, with the oil will help the bread form a crust, adding yet another contrasting taste and a different texture.