a typical Sicilian pasta dish with sardines, fennel, and a tomato-based sauce. The credit belongs to Iana, a unique woman who resided close to Castello a Mare.
| Prep Time: | 15 mins |
| Cook Time: | 30 mins |
| Total Time: | 45 mins |
| Servings: | 8 |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 bulb fennel – thinly sliced, fronds lightly chopped, stems discarded
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (4.5 ounce) cans sardines packed in oil
- ⅓ cup raisins
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, or more to taste, minced
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add fennel bulb, fronds, and onion. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute. Add sardines with oil; stir until crumbled. Stir in raisins, pine nuts, basil, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes; cook until toasted. Pour in tomatoes. Let sauce simmer.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in another pan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add bread crumbs and basil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Drain pasta; serve topped with the sauce, seasoned bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese.
- Use your favorite pasta.
- Feel free to use Italian seasoning instead of basil in the mudica, plus any desired seasonings.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 468 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 69 g |
| Cholesterol | 46 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 6 g |
| Protein | 21 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g |
| Sodium | 439 mg |
| Sugars | 7 g |
| Fat | 13 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |