This simple Bucatini with Sardines has strong Mediterranean roots and is made with a handful of ingredients. The thick spaghetti-like pasta is the perfect accompaniment for the sardines and its salty lemony sauce.
Origins of this dish
Pasta with Sardines has strong roots in the south of Italy, with the most popular version being the Sicilian version called Pasta con le Sarde, made using wild fennel, sultanas and pine nuts.
The dish was originally made to celebrate the patron Saint Joseph (San Giuseppe) on 19 March, which also coincides with Father’s Day in Italy.
In Sicily, this simple, yet filling pasta dish is usually served with a crispy topping of Muddica Atturrata – which is toasted breadcrumbs with garlic, salt and olive oil.
The version I make here is a simpler version of a similar regional dish from the north of Italy called Bigoli con le Sarde.
The dish is typical of the area surrounding Lake Garda, made with locally fished sardines which are abundant from the lake. Sometimes fresh tomatoes and chilli are also added to the dish for additional flavour.
Ingredients required for this Bucatini with Sardines dish
Bucatini Pasta
Thick Bucatini pasta is used for this Bucatini with Sardine. Why is it called bucatini? Because the thick spaghetti-like pasta has a ‘buco‘, which is a little hole.
In the north of Italy, this dish is traditionally made using Bigoli, which is thick spaghetti-like pasta that is rough in texture and is made using a special extruder called Torchio or Bigolaro.
Sardine Fillets
Fresh sardine fillets which have been already cleaned and removed from large bones (skin on is fine) are used for this dish. An alternative is also to use canned sardines, which will require less cooking time and a bit less salt.
Other Ingredients required
- Red Onion & Garlic Cloves: For the soffritto.
- Anchovy fillets: For additional saltiness and flavour
- Lemon Juice & Rind for freshness to lift the dish
- Fresh Parsley: Finely chopped to finish to sauce. (On a separate note, my favourite tool to chop parsley at the moment is my Tramontina Mincing Knife, in italian called a Mezzaluna, what a game changer!)
- Salt, Pepper and Extra Virgin Olive Oil
How to make these Bucatini with Sardines
Fry anchovies with Onion and Garlic
Start by heating the olive oil in a large non-stick fry pan. Add the onion, garlic and anchovy fillets and gently cook them down for 8-10 minutes till softened and slightly caramelized over low to medium heat.
In the meantime bring a large pot of water to the boil.
Add Sardines
Once the onion and garlic have softened, add the sardine fillets to the pan.
Cook them stirring gently for 7-8 minutes over medium heat. They will break apart as they cook and that is totally fine.
Note: If using cooked tinned sardines, all you need is 1-2 minutes for them to combine with the onion and garlic and heat through.
In the meantime, start cooking the bucatini till al dente in a large pot of salted water, as per packet directions (should be around 6 minutes).
Combine with Bucatini
Once the bucatini is cooked, reserve half a cup of pasta water and add the cooked bucatini to the large pan with the sardines and combine over medium heat.
Add the lemon juice, the lemon rind, and some more olive oil. Adjust seasoning and add a good pinch of salt and pepper. Add the reserved pasta water and gently combine.
Garnish and serve
Finally, add the chopped parsley, combine and take off the heat. Serve immediately! Enjoy!
Serving Size
The servings for this dish have been marked for 2 people but it’s a very generous serve (250 gr of pasta and 250 gr of sardine). This would be sufficient for 4 small entrée serves or 3 larger serves.
Bucatini with Sardines
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Red Onion (Finely Chopped)
- 3 Garlic Cloves (Finely Chopped)
- 6 Anchovy Fillets
- 250 gr Fresh Sardine Fillets (cleaned and descaled, cut in 10 cm pieces)
- 250 gr Bucatini Pasta
- 1 Lemon (Juice and Rind)
- 1 bunch Fresh Parsley (Finely Chopped)
- Salt
- Ground Pepper
Instructions
- Start off by heating 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large non-stick fry pan. Add the onion, garlic and anchovy fillets and gently cook them down for 8-10 minutes till softened and slightly caramelized over low to medium heat.In the meantime bring a large pot of water to the boil.
- To the pan add the sardine fillets and cook them stirring gently for 7-8 minutes over medium heat.In the meantime, start cooking the bucatini till al dente in a large pot of salted water, as per packet directions (should be around 6 minutes).
- Once the bucatini are cooked, reserve half a cup of pasta water and add the cooked bucatini to the large pan with the sardines and combine with the sauce over medium heat.
- Add the lemon juice, the lemon rind and a few tablespoons of olive oil. Adjust seasoning and add a good pinch of salt and pepper. Add the reserved pasta water and gently combine.
- Add the chopped parsley, combine and take off the heat. Serve immediately! Enjoy!
Notes
Serving Size
The servings for this dish have been marked for 2 people but it’s a very generous serve (250 gr of pasta and 250 gr of sardine). This would be sufficient for 4 small entrée serves or 3 larger serves.Want more?
I hope you loved this recipe of Bucatini with Sardines! If you want to check out more of my easy pasta recipes take a look at these Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccolini or Squid Ink Pasta with Prawns and Chilli.
