Sardine pasta is a great way to use the fantastic fresh specimens we have in the shop. You can use whole sardines or the fillets (which removes most of the bones). The quantities below are for four people but is is easy to adapt for more or less diners or if you wanted it as a snack or starter.
Not only very tasty this recipe is a healthy choice as sardines count as a portion of oily fish and are a rich source of omega-3.
About Sardines
Sardines are a small, oily fish, that are in fact just the younger version of the Pilchard, changing their name once they reach two years old. They are usually fished in in the waters around the UK from late June to February when they become widely available. Sardines from around the UK are generally considered to be a sustainable fish. You can check the labels on our counter to see where a particular catch has come from. Our recipes below has a definite Mediterranean feel given its Itaian provenance.
Sardine With Pasta Recipe Ingredients
8 Sardine fillets from Walter Purkis & Sons
4 Anchovie fillets
250g thinly sliced fennel
1 medium onion sliced
30g pine nuts
25g sultanas
Plain flour for dusting
Vegetable oil for fryng
Olive oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper to season
Handful of chopped parsley
350g dried pasta such as spaghetti or linguine
Cooking Method For Sardine Pasta
First soak your sultanas for about 15 minutes to make sure they are plump and juicy. Roughly chop.
Par boil your fennel for about 15 minutes. Keep the liquid as you can use it to moisten the mixture later if needed.
In a pan large enough to hold all the ingredients heat some oil. Fry the onions gently they need to be soft and translucent not brown. Add in the anchovies which will melt as you stir.Add the drained sultanas along with the fennel and pine nuts. Cook gently for about 15 minutes untill all the flavours combine.
Pat dry your sardine fillets with som kitchen paper towel, then dust with the flour. Fry on both sides in some hot vegetable oil in a seperate frying pan. Aim for a golden colour but don’t overcook as they will become dry. Remove to a warm plate on a paper towel season with salt.
Cook your pasta to al dente in a large pan of boiling water. Drain the water and add half the sauce, stir to get an even coating. This dish will look great served on a large platter or bowl. On the serving dish add half the pasta. Break up your sardines into large chunks and place half on top. Now add remaining pasta topping wth the remaining fish. Put into a dish into a hot oven for 5 minutes. To serve garnish garnish with the chopped parsley.
If you are looking for some more sardine cooking inspiration we have a selection of recipes here >>
