Pasta con le Sarde

Method

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and add the fennel fronds, cooking for 5 minutes, then remove and set aside, reserving the fennel-infused water. In a large frying pan, gently fry the finely chopped onion and garlic in 100ml of olive oil until softened, then add the fresh sardines (left whole or halved lengthways depending on size) and cook gently for 3-4 minutes until just cooked through. Add the tinned tomatoes and the saffron threads dissolved in a little warm water, then simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the fennel-infused boiling water until al dente, then drain, reserving 200ml of cooking water. Finely chop the reserved fennel fronds and add to the sardine sauce with the cooked pasta, stirring gently and adding pasta water as needed to achieve a silky consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper, drizzle with remaining olive oil, and serve immediately.