Ingredients

  • 2 cups mixed greens of fennel & dill & a few ground fennel seeds
  • 2 Tbs currants
  • 3 pieces sun dried tomatoes
  • 2 pinches pulverized saffron dissolved in 1/4 c water greens were cooked in
  • 6 Tbs olive oil
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
  • 7 anchovies, drained, rinsed, and chopped
  • 2 Tbs pine nuts
  • 1/2 tsp powder fennel
  • 2 - 4 oz cans skinless, boneless sardines in olive oil
  • 1 # box of pericatelli pasta

Method

  • Cook fennel tops, dill & fennel seeds in pasta water for approx. 15 min. Scoop out & save water. Soak currants & tomatoes in saffron tinted water for 10 min. Cook onions in olive oil until golden. Add anchovies & crush with back of fork. Cook 1 minute & remove from heat. Chop greens roughly & add to mixture with currants, tomatoes, soaking water, ground fennel, pine nuts & 1/2 cup fennel cooking water. Simmer, stirring for 5 min. Add sardines, crushing a few into sauce. If sauce is too dry, add more fennel cooking water. Add pepper to taste. Cook pasta in fennel cooking water. Toss with sauce. Pass olive oil on the side.