Sicilian cuisine is distinct from mainland Italian cooking. Influenced by North African and Mediterranean traditions, it offers bold, unexpected flavours you won’t usually find in Rome or Florence.
Classic Sicilian dishes such as caponata and Trapani-style couscous showcase this regional identity. Another standout is pasta con le sarde—sardine pasta—which combines salty sardines, aromatic fennel, sweet sultanas and toasted pine nuts for a striking balance of savoury, floral and sweet notes.
While traditionally made with fresh sardines, high-quality tinned sardines work beautifully and make the dish quick and accessible. Instead of grated cheese, the pasta is finished with a crispy, seasoned breadcrumb topping that adds texture and an extra layer of flavour.
How to Make Pasta con le Sarde
Start by toasting the pine nuts to deepen their flavour. Spread them on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in a preheated 180°C/350°F oven for 3–5 minutes, watching carefully since pine nuts burn quickly. Remove and set aside.
Fennel is central to this recipe; you’ll use fennel seeds, the bulb and the fronds. Begin the breadcrumb topping by toasting fennel seeds in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
Add a tablespoon of olive oil and a minced garlic clove, cook for about 30 seconds, then add panko breadcrumbs. Panko gives a light, crunchy texture that works well here. Season with salt and pepper and toss until the crumbs are golden—about 2–3 minutes—then transfer them to a bowl and set aside.
For the sauce, return the skillet to medium heat with two tablespoons of olive oil, the remaining fennel seeds and chopped anchovy fillets. Stir the anchovies until they dissolve into the oil, about two minutes.
Add a minced shallot (or half a yellow onion) and the minced fennel bulb with a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables soften and begin to brown, about 3–5 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
Stir in drained, roughly chopped tinned sardines and a tablespoon of sultanas (golden raisins). Use good-quality sardines, as their flavour carries through the dish. Deglaze the pan with a splash of dry white wine and cook until the alcohol aroma dissipates, about one to two minutes, then remove the skillet from the heat.
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti for two minutes less than the package instructions, reserving at least 250ml (1 cup) of the pasta water.
Return the skillet to medium heat, add about 60ml (¼ cup) of the reserved pasta water, the spaghetti, a squeeze of lemon juice and chopped fennel fronds. Toss everything together, adding more pasta water if needed to create a silky sauce. Turn off the heat and fold in the toasted pine nuts.
Serve immediately, finishing each plate with the crunchy panko breadcrumb mixture and a few extra fennel fronds for freshness.
Sicilian Sardine Pasta
Ingredients
- 20 g pine nuts (about 2 tbsp)
- 1½ tsp fennel seeds, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 25 g panko breadcrumbs (about ¼ cup)
- 4 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
- 1 large shallot, minced
- ½ bulb fennel, peeled, cored and minced, fronds reserved and roughly chopped
- 200 g tinned sardines, drained and roughly chopped
- 20 g sultanas/golden raisins (about 1 tbsp)
- 60 ml dry white wine (¼ cup)
- 250 g spaghetti
- 1–2 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Toast pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet until golden and fragrant, about 3–5 minutes. Set aside.
- Toast ½ tsp fennel seeds in a large skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1–2 minutes.
- Add 1 tbsp olive oil and one minced garlic clove to the skillet; cook ~30 seconds. Stir in panko breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper, and toss until golden. Remove and set aside.
- Add 2 tbsp olive oil, the remaining fennel seeds and chopped anchovies to the empty skillet. Cook, stirring, until the anchovies dissolve, about 2 minutes.
- Add the minced shallot and fennel bulb with a pinch of salt. Cook until softened and beginning to brown, 3–5 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Stir in the sardines and sultanas and cook one minute. Deglaze with the white wine and cook until reduced, then remove from heat.
- Cook the spaghetti in heavily salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than package instructions, reserving at least 250 ml (1 cup) of pasta water.
- Return the skillet to medium heat. Add about 60 ml (¼ cup) of the reserved pasta water, the spaghetti, lemon juice and chopped fennel fronds. Toss to combine, adding more cooking water to reach the desired sauce consistency. Turn off heat and stir in toasted pine nuts. Serve immediately topped with the toasted breadcrumbs and extra fennel fronds.
Nutrition
This version of pasta con le sarde makes excellent use of tinned fish and turns a simple pasta night into something memorable. It’s straightforward to prepare and bursting with layered flavour.
Have questions about the recipe or want tips for variations? Leave a comment below.
