Pasta con le Sarde
15 August 2026
Pasta con le sarde is a classic Sicilian pasta dish made with sardines and anchovies. Strongly tied to Palermo, it is enjoyed across the island and officially recognized as a traditional agri-food product (prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale) by the Italian government.
Total time -
About 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS -
Serves 4 to 6
8 ounces Spaghetti or Bucatini
14.5 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes
1 tin (4.2 ounces) sardines
6-8 anchovy fillets
1 white onion
1/2 cup minced fennel bulb
3 - 4 large garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 large handful of freshly chopped basil
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Bread for bread crumbs
TOOLS -
8 - 10 inch cast iron skillet
Tongs
Peppermill
PREPERATION -
Prepare about one cup of toasted coarse bread crumbs
Coarsely grate or chop Italian bread. Coat a cast iron skillet with three tablespoons olive oil; add bread crumbs and stir constantly over high heat until they are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Immediately scrape into a bowl and set aside.
Boil 8 cups water with 1 tablespoon salt to prepare pasta, stir until soft for about 8 minutes; retain a quarter cup of pasta water
Add remaining olive oil to cast iron skillet or pan with coarsely chopped onion, cut into 1-inch pieces and mined fennel, allow to soften while stirring for 3 to 5 minutes
Add thinly sliced garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant, then add red pepper flakes, ground fennel seeds for about 1 minute
Melt anchovies in the sauce, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes
Pour tomatoes with liquid into pan with fresh a generous handful of freshly chopped basil, cover for about 2 minutes; break up tomatoes
Lower heat and add sardines, stir until all ingredients are fully integrated
Add cooked pasta to sauce pan with a tablespoon of pasta water and stir to finish the sauce, add additional pasta water for preferred consistency
Generously garnish plated pasta with bread crumbs, a small sprinkle of red pepper flakes, and fresh black pepper
NOTES -
Using whole tomatoes is preferred over diced for their richer, sweeter flavor as they are less processed than diced
The liquid from canned tomatoes contains intense flavor and can be reduced to create a more robust, deep-flavored sauce. Although eliminating excess liquid reduces cooking time significantly.
