Preheat oven to
350° F.
Remove heads and tails from half the
sardines. Cut in 1 inch pieces. Leave second half intact.
Wash and trim fennel. Put into pan with
about 8 cups cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook
until tender, about 5- 8 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon,
drain in colander, then gently squeeze out water. Chop roughly.
Reserve cooking water.
Heat 1/4 cup oil in frying pan. Sauté onions over
medium heat until golden. Add chopped sardines and anchovies.
As they cook, crush sardines with back of spoon to make
a thick paste. Add pine nuts, raisins, saffron, salt and
pepper.
In a separate pan, heat remaining oil
and lightly sauté the fennel, removing to a separate
bowl. Sauté the remaining whole sardines. Cook until
tender, about 10 minutes, turning once gently, careful not
to to break sardines.
Using fennel water, boil pasta until
al dente, (about 10-12 minutes). Drain. Put in bowl and
dress with half the sardine sauce.
Put a layer of dressed pasta in an oven-proof
casserole. On top of that, put a layer of fennel, then a
a layer of whole sardines with additional sauce. Continue
until ingredients are used up, ending with a layer of bucatini.
Sprinkle breadcrumbs over top. Cover and bake for 15 - 20
minutes.
Pasta may be served hot or cold.
Serves: 6
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