Spaghetti con le Sarde – a taste of coastal Italy that can be replicated with only pantry ingredients.
This no-cook sauce is redolent of citrus, capers and the essential anchovy/sardine combination that conjures up thoughts of dappled shade, lemon groves, azure ocean and lazy lunches with friends.
The perfect pasta option for a speedy weeknight dinner, Spaghetti con le Sarde is as economical as it is delicious, with the addition of lemon and fresh parsley brightening the sardine sauce. Feel free to use whatever your store cupboard holds – from spaghetti to linguine or even penne.
Spaghetti con le Sarde
Prep time: 15 mins /Cook time: 10 mins /Serves: 4
You will need:
- 250g dried spaghetti
- Olive oil
- 100g tin of sardines in oil
- 3-4 brown anchovy fillets in oil
- The juice and zest of a small lemon
- 10-15 capers, roughly chopped
- 100g Parmesan, grated
- 3-4 sprigs of fresh parsley, finely chopped
- Coarse ground sea salt and black pepper
In a bowl combine 30ml of olive oil, the sardines and their oil, the anchovy fillets and a tablespoon of their oil, the lemon zest and juice, the capers, Parmesan and chopped parsley. Use a spoon to mash the ingredients together and season to taste, going easy on the salt.
Set a pot of water seasoned with a glug of olive oil and a pinch of salt on high heat. Once boiling, cook the pasta for 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Do not drain. Use tongs to gently take the pasta out of the cooking water and straight into the dish containing the sardine sauce. Stir to coat the spaghetti in the sauce and serve immediately with extra olive oil and grated Parmesan.
