Sarde a Beccafico

MONTALBANO’S FAVOURITE DISHES

Andrea Calogero Camilleri, a Sicilian director and author, born 6 September 1925; died 17 July 2019.

The entire nation is in mourning: RAI 1 news, the state broadcaster, dedicated 80 per cent of its time slot to this news; writers, intellectuals and the highest representatives of the Italian state have expressed their condolences. Even his arch-enemy, Matteo Salvini, minister of the interior and leader of the xenophobic Northern League party — with whom Camilleri had several heated exchanges over the years — has paid tribute to the popular Sicilian writer.

The paragraph above is from an article published in The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald on July 20. It is written by Barbara Pezzotti, a lecturer in Italian Studies at Monash University. She is the author of three monographs dedicated to Italian crime fiction and has extensively published on Andrea Camilleri.

Camilleri perhaps is best known for his Montalbano novels and has become one of the most-loved crime fiction writers in the world. Camilleri’s books have been published worldwide and translated into 32 languages, including Catalan and Gaelic. The highly successful TV series, inspired by Montalbano’s books became an international success and was broadcast in Australia by SBS. I am sure that the scenes of beautiful Sicily in the series have encouraged many travellers.

There have been many items from around the world in praise of Camilleri and the character Inspector Montalbano, who not only fight the Mafia and solves crimes is also a lover of good food and when Andrea Camilleri died last week, one of my relatives in Ragusa, Sicily sent me an article from Ragusa News, an on-line publication that covers news and interest stories from the Ragusa Province and nearby towns – Vittoria, Modica, Comiso, Scicli, Pozzallo and Ispica.

The article is called Domenica a pranzo onoriamo Camilleri con la pasta ‘Ncasciata (On Sunday for lunch let us honour Camilleri with pasta Ncasciata).

Sunday lunch is still an important family occasion in Sicily and pasta ‘Ncasciata is an Sicilian, oven baked pasta dish and one of Montalbano’s favorite things to eat. It is prepared for him by his housekeeper, Adelina. (Place above is where Montalbano lives in the TV series.

Camilleri in his Montalbano series of books describes almost every dish Montalbano eats. And every dish is traditionally Sicilian.

There are many versions of pasta ‘Ncasciata in Sicily, with different combinations of ingredients but the most noteworthy one is from Messina and the recipe in this article appears to be the Messinese version and is made with commercial, short shaped pasta in layers dressed with tomato meat sauce, mortadella or salami, fried eggplant, caciocavallo cheese, salami and hardboiled eggs. Although I have eaten pasta ‘Ncasciata, I have never liked the sound of this dish and have never made it.

Apart from Pasta ‘Ncasciata, Montalbano has other favourites and obviously I like them too as I have written them in my blog and my first book, Sicilian Seafood Cooking.

STUFFED BAKED FENNEL WITH PANGRATTATO – FINOCCHI RIPIENI

Breadcrumbs are called Pangrattato (grated bread) in Italian.

Mollica is the soft part of the bread with crusts removed but in the culinary world both pangrattato and mollica have acquired new significances and have been enhanced. Both refer to breadcrumbs lightly toasted in in olive oil, herbs and seasonings and variations include anything from garlic, red pepper flakes, pine nuts, anchovies, lemon zest , cinnamon or nutmeg, salt and a little sugar.

Mollica or pangrattato adds texture, fragrance and complex flavours and is usually used as a stuffing or topping, especially for pasta in Calabria, Puglia and Sicily. For example, Pasta con le Sarde and Sarde a Beccafico are two Sicilian recipes that use enhanced breadcrumbs:

When I make pangrattato I store left overs in a jar in my fridge and use it to enhance other dishes: this time I used it to stuff fennel. For moisture and extra flavour I added a little ricotta and a little grated cheese – pecorino or parmigiano.

Cut the stems off the fennel and remove the toughest and usually damaged outer leaves Cut the fennel into quarters.

Cook the fennel in salted water, bay leaves salt and lemon juice for about 10 minutes until it is slightly softened. Remove it from the liquid and cool.

Make the filling: Work the ricotta in a bowl with a fork, mix in the pangrattato and grated cheese.

Prise open the leaves of the fennel and stuff with the pangrattato stuffing.

Place the quarters into a baking bowl that allows them to stay compact and upright (like when you are cooking stuffed artichokes).

Drizzle olive oil on top (or a little butter) and bake at 180 – 190°C for about 15 minutes

SPAGHETTI with PRAWNS and ZUCCHINI

SPAGHETTI with ‘NDUJA, SQUID, VONGOLE AND PAN GRATTATO

PASTA CON LE SARDE – an iconic Sicilian recipe from Palermo. Cooked at Slow Food Festival Melbourne

PASTA CON SARDE – the baked version, Palermo, Sicily

SARDE A BECCAFICO (Sardines stuffed with currants, pine nuts, sugar and nutmeg)

10 MUST-TRY DISHES WHEN YOU ARE IN SICILY

I’m often asked about the must-try Sicilian dishes when visiting Sicily—and it’s a question I love answering. Sicily’s cuisine is deeply rooted in its rich history, geography, and vibrant culture. It’s no surprise that food is a key reason people return to the island again and again.

If you’re familiar with the Great British Chefs website (a leading source for professional chef recipes in the UK), you may also know their sister site, Great Italian Chefs. This site celebrates the traditions, creativity, and passion behind Italy’s most iconic culinary offerings.

As they rightly point out:

“The Italians themselves are fiercely passionate about their culinary heritage, and with good reason – a large number of the world’s best dishes come from the cities, fields and shores of this deeply cultural, historic country.”

AND

Today, Sicily is one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations, and it’s the food that keeps people coming back year after year.

On 29 September 2017, Great Italian Chefs published an article titled “10 Must-Try Dishes When You’re in Sicily.” In fact, there are 11 dishes once you include the one that’s assumed you already know: arancini.

The Sicilian specialties are:

Fritella
Caponata
Raw red prawns
Busiate al pesto trapanese
Pasta con le sarde
Pasta alla norma
Cous cous di pesce
Fritto misto
Involtini di pesce spada
Cannoli

AND

Arancini

Let’s explore these iconic Sicilian specialties—most of which you’ll find recipes for right here on my blog. I’ve included links, photos, and some notes from my cookbook Sicilian Seafood Cooking, with food styling by Fiona Rigg and photography by Graeme Gillies.

Although I have no recipes on my blog for Fritto misto, Raw red prawns and Involtini di pesce spada, I have explained each of these these Sicilian specialties and where appropriate I have links to similar recipes on my blog.

Fritella (Frittedda)

This spring vegetable medley is made with artichokes, broad beans, and peas. It’s lightly cooked and often dressed with olive oil, fresh herbs, and sometimes a splash of vinegar. In Sicilian dialect, it’s called Frittedda.

Recipe: Frittedda

Featured in: Jewels of Sicily

Caponata

Caponata is one of Sicily’s most well-known dishes. It’s a sweet and sour eggplant stew made with vinegar, capers, olives, and sometimes pine nuts or even chocolate, depending on the region.

There are several regional variations:

Palermo: Eggplant-focused, sweet and tangy
Catania: More emphasis on tomato and celery
Other versions: Potato-based or with unique local additions

SICILIAN CAPONATA DI MELANZANE as made in Palermo (Eggplant caponata and Eggplant caponata with chocolate)

CAPONATA SICILIANA (CATANESE – Caponata as made in Catania

CAPONATA of Potatoes (General information and recipe for Caponata di patate)

Raw Red Prawns

Known as Gambero Rosso (Aristaeomorpha foliacea), these blood-red prawns are a delicacy in Sicily. When fresh, they are served raw with just a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice—simple, elegant, and delicious.

Often, the lemon juice slightly “cooks” the prawns in a style similar to ceviche.

All very fresh seafood can be eaten raw and is loved by Sicilians, usually served with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Most times the seafood is marinaded in these even if it is for a short time – the lemon juice “cooks” the fish.

SARDINE, CRUDE E CONDITE (Sardines – raw and marinaded)

PESCE CRUDO, raw fish dishes in Sicily

GREAT BRITISH CHEFS, GREAT ITALIAN CHEFS, Feature articles by Marisa Raniolo Wilkins

Busiate al Pesto Trapanese (from Tapani in Western Sicily)

This dish features Busiate, a corkscrew-shaped pasta traditionally hand-rolled around thin rods. It’s served with Pesto Trapanese, a Sicilian version of pesto made from tomatoes, almonds, garlic, and basil. In some regions, it’s also called Matarocco.

Pesto trapanese is also called Matarocco. Busiate is the type of pasta traditionally made by coiling a strip of pasta cut diagonally around a thin rod (like a knitting needle).

MATARROCCU, a Sicilian pesto

Pasta con le Sarde

One of the island’s most iconic pasta dishes, Pasta con le Sarde is made with wild fennel, sardines, pine nuts, raisins, and saffron. It embodies Sicily’s Arabic and Mediterranean influences.

Two versions to try:

Classic stovetop version
Baked version, often topped with breadcrumbs

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

PASTA CON SARDE – the baked version, Palermo, Sicily

Pasta alla Norma

A Catania favorite, this pasta dish is made with fried eggplant, rich tomato sauce, basil, and grated ricotta salata. It’s hearty and comforting—a must-try for vegetarians and meat-lovers alike.

PASTA ALLA NORMA (Pasta with tomatoes, and eggplants)

Cous Cous di Pesce

This North African-influenced dish is popular in Western Sicily, particularly in Trapani. It’s made with semolina couscous steamed and served with a spiced fish broth.

⚠️ Note: Unfortunately, the original recipe for Cous Cous di Pesce has disappeared from my blog after a platform migration. I plan to repost it soon.

Great Italian Chefs link to 10 must-try dishes when you’re in Sicily (29 September 2017).

OUT AND ABOUT IN SICILY

It is always good to visit Sicily in May 2016 and this time I spent most of my time mainly in South-eastern Sicily. But we did wander elsewhere – distances are not that great.

As usual, the relatives in Ragusa and Augusta made sure that I was well fed, but I do enjoy getting out and about and seeing the changes and trends that are evident in their food culture. I do that here in Australia as well, or for that matter any place I revisit.

Below are some photos of Sicily and links to existing recipes from the blog … more writing and more recipes soon.

Stunning scenery

Acireale

And Granmichele,

A Nature Reserve near Donna Fugata

Antiquity

A very old church in Modica.

Inside this old church that has been a stable for many years.

Area Archeologica di Cava d’Ispica

The old stone walls, some being repaired or rebuilt.

Wandering around in Baroque towns

Ragusa Ibla

Noto

Modica

Caltagirone

Brushes with fame

Moltalbano’s apartment in Punta Secca

Some traditional food from S.E. Sicily

*Links to these recipes:

*Maccu

*Ravioli con ricotta

*Scacce

New ways of preparing old recipes

*Marinaded Fish

*Sarde a beccafico

Deconstructed cannolo

Festive Occasions – Infiorata in Noto

And more carpets of flowers,

Catania Fish Market below

Various cuts of Tuna.

Key in the word “Tuna “and you will find many recipes, but suggesting sustainable fish.

*Zucca Lunga

GIORGIO LOCATELLI’S SICILY RE-PACKED – Sarde a Beccafico, Caponata, Maccu

Those of you who live in the UK may have already watched Sicily Unpacked with London based historian Andrew Graham-Dixon and chef Giorgio Locatelli. We have viewed two episodes in Australia and have one to go. I always find great pleasure in seeing Sicily promoted. In these two episodes we have seen some beautiful scenes mainly of Palermo, Noto and Modica and I have included a few of the photos I have to remind you of how beautiful Sicily is.

I have Giorgio Locatelli’s Made In Italy and have enjoyed it. Giorgio’s book on Sicily was released at the same time as mine (Sicilian Seafood Cooking). I have yet to buy his book on Sicily, but I will, as it is always good to compare one’s recipes with someone else’s.

In the two episodes that I have watched Giorgio has cooked three recipes, but although you saw preparing these he did not provide them (a good strategy to motivate you to buy the book).

When I cook I always like to look at more than one recipe of the one dish and then decide how I am going to cook mine. You may wish to do the same.

The three recipes that Giorgio cooked are on my blog and from what I could see they were quite different to mine. To view these recipes on my blog click on the links below. Those of you who have a copy of my book Sicilian Seafood Cooking will find two of these recipes written in greater detail.

Sean Connolly selected to cook my recipe for the SBS website during his Family Feast series. You may wish to view this video on SBS website.

CAPONATA

My recipe for Caponata Catanese was published in ITALIANICIOUS magazine and I have written about this in CAPONATA (general information)

MACCU

A thick soup made with pulses. Click link above for recipe.

I hope that we will all enjoy episode 3 of Sicily Unpacked.

MA2SBAE8REVW

LAYERED SARDINES (CROSTATA DI SARDINE)

Sicilian cuisine includes many recipes for sardines layered and baked, often referred to as a crostata.

In one of Ruth Rogers and Rose Grey’s Cookbooks – River Café Two – they call their layered sardine recipe: Strati di sardine (from strata, a layer). Their recipe is with breadcrumbs, zest of 2 lemons, pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil, chillies and parsley. In their recipe the sardines are not fried beforehand.

A CROSTATA DI SARDE

My recipe also has raisins and includes juice of a lemon and an orange and I call my layered sardines a Crostata di sarde. The stuffing is very similar to that of sarde a beccafico, but in this recipe there is no rolling of the sardines – much less arduous to prepare. A crostata is a tart and the sardines are topped with breadcrumbs; this forms a crust when baked (the word for crust in Italian is crosta).

The term “crostata” originally referred to anything with a “crusted” appearance, and the modern tart is known for being more rustic and less fussy than a traditional pie.

There are plenty of sardines in Australia, they are wild-caught and mainly fished in WA near Fremantle, Hervey Bay in Queensland, and increasingly in South Australia – this makes them available for most of the year.

This crostata can also be eaten cold. You can see how when it is accompanied with a simple salad, it could be a fabulous light meal.

The recipe for Sarde a Beccafico is included below and the addition of nuts in this recipe is also encouraged.

This recipe is for 4 people.

INGREDIENTS

sardines, fillets, double,12 – estimate 3 per person

extra virgin olive oil, ¾ cup

flat leaf parsley, 1 cup, cut finely

garlic, 3 cloves, chopped finely

salt and freshly ground, black pepper

fresh, bread crumbs, 150g , made from 1-3 day old good quality bread

lemon and orange, juice and zest from both

raisins, 50g
pine nuts, 150g
bay leaves, fresh, 10

PROCESSES

Mix the breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic, zest, pine nuts, seasoning and raisins together. Add a splash of olive oil.

Fry the sardines in some of the very hot oil, just enough time to crisp the skin. Do not overcrowd the fish in fry pan or they will poach rather than fry.

Drain on paper and set aside.

Oil a large baking dish that will accommodate all of the ingredients in three layers. Line it with 5 bay leaves.
Begin with a layer of the breadcrumb mixture; add a splash of oil next a layer of sardines (not overlapping and skin side up) then a splash of juice.

Cover the sardines with a sprinkling of the breadcrumbs mixture, and follow with a splash of olive oil.

Repeat with another layer of sardines and juices, finishing with the breadcrumbs and another splash of oil. Insert more bay leaves between some of the sardines.

Bake in a preheated oven (200°C) for about 20 minutes until a crust forms on top.

Bread shop in Palermo

This recipe is inspired by my visit to Palermo

I recently saw an impressive exhibition at The Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane called 21st Century: Art in the First Decade (includes film, photography installations, sculpture, painting and drawing).

In a darkened room, I was mesmerised by a five-screen video installation about a perilous sea voyage. The passengers, worn and exhausted, were on a small, old boat, carrying only themselves. I hadn’t read the information tag, so I only recalled Australia’s asylum seekers and the tragic boat tragedies. I wondered about other lands. The small fishing boats and coastline resembled Sicily, and the refugees could be North African. The content was relevant to Sicily’s current situation on Lampedusa, an island in the Mediterranean Sea. I recognised the stairway of a Palermo hotel I had once stayed in.

This moving and relevant installation, called WESTERN UNION: Small Boats, was created by Isaac Julien, an English artist and filmmaker. Filmed in 35mm and transferred to video, it’s an allegorical account of the hazardous sea journeys of North African illegal immigrants who often wash up dead on Sicily’s shores.

I found this photo of me in the hotel where I stayed in Palermo. It has that amazing staircase that is also featured in the film. And although Julien’s installation left me feeling sad, I also contemplated the beauty and excitement of Palermo: the eclectic architecture, which reflects several ruling cultures (Norman, Arab. Baroque); the street markets held in long, maze-like, narrow alleys, the piercing shrills of the sellers and the extraordinary array of produce.

SARDE A BECCAFICO (Sardines stuffed with currants, pine nuts, sugar and nutmeg)

Palermo and Sicily … peeling the onion

MY FAMILY FEAST SBS ONE, my recipes have been selected

I have some good news.
A few months ago I submitted three family recipes to the SBS Food website as part of a promotion for the upcoming SBS TV series MY FAMILY FEAST, which begins on Thursday, 27 August at 7:30pm on SBS ONE.

MY FAMILY FEAST is a weekly half hour television show that will take us into the lives and cooking traditions of Australian immigrants and their families, as seen through the eyes of award winning chef Sean Connolly.

The three recipes (as called on my web) are:
• SARDE A BECCAFICO (Sardines stuffed with currants, pine nuts, sugar and nutmeg)
• PASTA CON LE SARDE (Pasta with sardines, from Palermo, made with fennel, pine nuts and currants)
• EGGPLANT or ZUCCHINI PARMIGIANA (Milinciani or cucuzzeddi a parmiciana – parmigiana di melenzane or di zucchine).

All three recipes were selected and published on the SBS website. On their website they are called:
• Sardines a beccafico, stuffed with currants and pine nuts
• Eggplant or zucchini Parmigiana
• Pasta with sardines, fennel, pine nuts and currants

I have now been informed (by Shelley Hepworth Editor, SBS Food)
that one of my recipes Sardines a beccafico, stuffed with currants and pine nuts has been cooked by Sean Connolly and will be published as a video on the MY FAMILY FEAST website.

The SBS website is:
http://www.sbs.com.au/food

You can view the video on the SBS Food website here:
http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipe/893/Sardines_a_beccafico_stuffed_with_currants_and_pine_nuts

I have reproduced a photo of Sean Connolly from the web, therefore I will acknowledge it.
Executive Chef and restaurateur Sean Connolly poses at the official launch party for Sean’s Kitchen at Star City on September 10, 2008 in Sydney, Australia.
(September 10, 2008 – Photo by Gaye Gerard/Getty Images AsiaPac)

15th October 2009

My Family Feast

I have been overseas and have only had the opportunity to view three episodes of this adventurous, food series. I was very impressed by Sean’s obvious enjoyment and the respect he demonstrated to the people and the ingredients. I particularly enjoyed the informality of the interaction between the cooks and Sean. Congratulations, and I am sorry that I have not viewed them all.

Marisa

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SARDE A BECCAFICO (Sardines stuffed with currants, pine nuts, sugar and nutmeg)

Sardines – SARDE A BECCAFICO. I am really pleased that the three recipes I sent to SBS have been published on the SBS website.

One of the recipes may be selected as part of upcoming food series My Family Feast. Selected recipes will be cooked by Sean Connolly (chef) in a short website and published online during broadcast of the series.

This is one of the recipes:

Sarde a Beccafico

When I invite friends for a meal, I love to serve something they may not have tried before.
One of my favourites? Sarde a beccafico — a classic Sicilian dish with an interesting backstory.

The word beccafico refers to a small bird known for feasting on ripe figs — from becca (to peck) and fico (fig). Sardines, when stuffed and rolled, resemble this fig-stuffed little gourmand, and the dish is named in its honour. It’s a humble nod of respect to a bird known for its fine taste.

In fact, the birds themselves — beccafichi — were traditionally cooked in a similar way: stuffed and baked. Whether they still flutter through Sicilian skies is debatable, but the recipe lives on with sardines as the star.

As with most Sicilian dishes, there are regional variations in both the stuffing and the preparation. Over the years, I’ve blended a few of my favourite versions into the one I make today — a tribute to the rich culinary tapestry of Sicily.

There are local variations in the ingredients used for the stuffing, the method of cooking and for the names of the dish in other parts of Sicily. These are my favourite ingredients for this recipe from a combination of local recipes.

INGREDIENTS
fresh sardines, fillets, 700g,
breadcrumbs, 1 cup made with good quality1-3 day old bread
anchovy fillets, 5-8 finely, cut finely
currants, ½ cup
pine nuts, ½ cup
parsley, ¾ cup, cut finely
bay leaves, 10, fresh
garlic, 2 cloves, chopped
lemon, 1, juice and zest
sugar, 1 tablespoon
nutmeg, ½ teaspoon
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
extra virgin olive oil, ¾ cup

PROCESSES
Prepare sardines: Scale, gut, butterfly and clean sardines and leave the tail. If you buy fillets, they are sometimes sold without tails – this may not matter, but when the fillet of the sardine is closed around the stuffing, the tail is flicked upright to resemble a bird – and this may be missing. (In the photo there are no tails – photo taken in a restaurant in Monreale, Palermo, December 2007)
Wipe each sardine dry before stuffing.
Preheat oven to 190 C
Prepare the stuffing:
Toast breadcrumbs until golden in about 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (I use a non stick fry pan) over a low flame.
Take off heat and cool.
Stir in pine nuts, currants, parsley, anchovies, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, pepper and garlic.
Add a little more extra virgin olive oil if the mixture is dry.
Place a spoonful of the stuffing in each opened sardine and close it upon itself to resemble a fat bird (any leftover stuffing can be sprinkled on top to seal the fish)
Position each sardine, closely side by side in an oiled baking dish with tail sticking up and place a bay leaf between each fish.
Sprinkle the sardines with lemon juice and any left over stuffing, the sugar the left over oil.
Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Other sardine recipes:

SARDINES, grilled or barbecued with Sicilian dressings

SARDINE, CRUDE E CONDITE (Sardines raw and marinaded)

FILETTI DI SARDINE CON VINO E LIMONE (Sardines with wine)

And there are many other posts about sardines ALL THINGS SICILIAN AND MORE

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

I sent three recipes to SBS and this was one of them. All have been published on the website

One of my recipes, Sarde a beccafico was selected as part of the food series My Family Feast and cooked by Sean Connolly (chef). You can see it making it online during the broadcast of the series.

You cannot go to Sicily and not eat pasta con le sarde. There are many regional variations of pasta sauces made with sardines, all called by the same name, but the most famous is an ancient, traditional dish from Palermo. The pasta can be eaten hot or cold (at room temperature).

I like the way Sicilians often skip between the sweet and savoury tastes – the sour and/or salty is often combined with the sweet and what makes this dish unique is the unusual combination of textures and strong fragrant tastes: the strong taste of the oily sardines, the cleansing flavour of the fennel, the sweetness of the raisins and the delicate aromatic taste of the pine nuts.

Pasta con le sarde is presented with toasted breadcrumbs as a topping, in the same way that grated cheese is used.

Originally the breadcrumbs may have been a substitute for cheese for the poor. In some versions of this dish the cooked ingredients are arranged in layers in a baking dish, topped with breadcrumbs and then baked – the breadcrumbs form a crust.

Unfortunately we are not able to buy bunches of wild fennel (finucchiu sarvaggiu in Sicilian) in Australia, but we do have the wild fennel that grows in neglected areas such as on the side of the road, vacant land and along banks of waterways. In Sicily it can be bought in small bunches. In Australia you will recognise it by its strong aniseed smell and taste, strong green colour and fine fern like fronds. I collect the soft, young shoots of this plant, recognised by their lighter colour. This fennel is unlike the Florentine fennel and has no bulb. Because of its strong smell and taste, animals and insects tend not to eat it, so it can be prolific. I always ensure that the plant looks healthy before I collect it, after all it is a weed and it could have been sprayed.

Fresh bulb fennel can replace the wild fennel, but the taste will not be as strong. If you are using bulb fennel try to buy bulbs with some of the green fronds still attached. I usually buy more than one fennel at a time and save the green fronds to use as a herb in cooking and I enhance the taste by using fennel seeds as well.

The addition of almonds is a local variation and is optional – it brings another layer of taste and texture to the dish. If you choose not to use the almonds, use double the quantity of pine nuts (see recipe).

The origins of pasta chi sardi (Sicilian) are said to be Arabic. In one story, an Arab cook was instructed to prepare food for the Arab troops when they first landed in Sicily. The cook panicked when he was confronted by a large number of people to feed, so the troops were instructed to forage for food. He made do with what they presented – wild herbs (the fennel) and the fish (sardines) to which he added Arabic flavourings, the saffron, dried fruit and the nuts.

I remember coming back to Australia and cooking this dish for friends after eating it in a restaurant in Palermo (Sicily) called L’ingrasciata (In Sicilian it means The dirty one!), and how much all of my guests enjoyed it. I have continued to cook pasta con le sarde over the years, especially since sardines are plentiful, sustainable and now widely available in Australia.

Pasta con le sarde is fairly substantial, and although in Sicily it would be presented as a first course (primo), in Australia I am happy to present it as a main (secondo) and I use greater quantities of fish. I follow the pasta course with a green salad as a separate course, but I never serve pasta and salad together. Part of me remains Italian to the core – in Italy a salad is a contorno (a side dish) and an accompaniment to a main course. Pasta, risotto and soup – which are all primi, cannot be accompanied by a side dish.

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.

INGREDIENTS

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

PROCESS

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.

SBS website with Sarde a beccafico – part of the food series My Family Feast and cooked by Sean Connolly (chef):

Tag: Sarde a Beccafico

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