Pasta with Sardines

• Salt
• 1 fennel bulb (about 1 pound), top trimmed, bulb quartered
• 3/4 cup extra-virign olive oil
• 1 pound fresh sardines, filleted
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 anchovy fillets, chopped
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons currants
• 4 cups tomato sauce, preferably homemade
• Freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1 pound perciatelli or spaghetti

1. Fill a large pot with water, cover and bring to a boil.
2. Add salt and the fennel and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
3. Remove with a slotted spoon and finely chop, discarding the core.
4. Reserve the water for cooking the pasta.
5. In a large nonreactive saucepan, heat 1/2 cup of the olive oil.
6. Add the sardines, onions and anchovies and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
7. Add the fennel, pine nuts and currants and cook for 3 minutes.
8. Add all but 3 tablespoons of the tomato sauce, cover partially and cook over moderately low heat until thick, about 25 minutes.
9. Season with salt and pepper; keep warm.
10. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil in a medium nonreactive skillet.
11. Add the reserved 3 tablespoons of tomato sauce and the bread crumbs and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes.
12. Transfer to a plate.
13. Return the pot of water to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain well.
14. Return the pasta to the pot, add the sauce and toss over low heat for 1 minute.
15. Transfer to a warmed platter, top with 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs and serve immediately.
16. Pass the remaining crumbs at the table.

salt, fennel, extravirign olive oil, sardines, onion, anchovy, nuts, currants, tomato sauce, freshly ground pepper, bread crumbs, perciatelli

Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pasta-with-sardines (may not work)