Though its name pays homage to Palermo, pasta alla palermitana tops tables far beyond the island's capital. Pasta con le sarde, or pasta with sardines preparation, is said to have been invented by an Arab chef during the ninth-century conquest of Sicily. With limited resources to feed his troops, the chef combined what he had at his disposal, inadvertently making culinary history. The dish has evolved over the centuries and recipes vary from town to town of course. Regardless of where how you make it, the dish is a Sicilian summertime specialty as the sardines abound in the island's waters from March to September, which also happens to overlap with wild fennel season. Here's the recipe for the classic version.
Pasta With Sardines Recipe
Ingredients
1 lb. spaghetti or bucatini
1 lb. sardines
1 garlic clove
1 onion, finely chopped
3 oz. fennel fronds (wild if possible)
1 sachet saffron, dissolved 1 oz. water
3 Tbsp. pine nuts
4 Tbsp. raisins, soaked then wrung out
parsley
extra-virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
Clean the sardines. Remove the heads, slice their belly lengthwise and debone. Flour and fry half of them in extra-virgin olive oil.
In a pan, cook the garlic clove in a little oil over medium heat. Add a few tufts of parsley and the remaining sardines to cook for 10 minutes with an additional ⅓ cup of water. Add a sachet of saffron dissolved in a little water, mix well, add salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
Boil the wild fennel leaves for 10 minutes in plenty of salted water. Drain then chop them, and place in a pan with extra-virgin olive oil and the chopped onion along with the raisins and pine nuts. Cook for 15 minutes then add the stewed sardines and mix well. Boil the pasta in the same water used for the fennel until al dente. Drain then cover with the sardine sauce. Garnish each dish with fried sardines and serve.
For the perfect Palermo-style pasta with sardines, check out our tips and tricks in the photo gallery.