Pasta with sardines

Clean the wild fennel removing the tough stems and damaged parts. Bring to a boil About (6.34 pt) 3 liters of water, soak for 2-3 minutes, and drain when tender and still green. Save the blanching water for the pasta and the infusion.

Squeeze the wild fennel without tearing it, transfer it to the cutting board and chop it finely with a knife. Strain the blanching water and taste it: it should be fragrant and not excessively salty. Set aside the amount needed to cook the spaghetti.

Toast the saffron threads briefly in a dry saucepan, without letting them brown. Pour in a little hot blanching water, turn off the heat, cover, and let steep for a few minutes. The infusion is ready when it turns a deep yellow color and has a distinct aroma.

Mix the breadcrumbs with extra virgin olive oil, chopped red garlic and, if available in the preparation, dried oregano, chili pepper and parsley. Work the mixture until the moisture is evenly distributed, then fluff it with a fork to avoid lumps before toasting.

Toast the soft bread crumb in one skillet over medium heat-low, stirring often, until it becomes uniformly golden and crispy; immediately transfer it out of the skilletOpen the sardines like a book, remove any remaining bones and spines, rinse them quickly and dry them with paper towels.

Brown the scallion and the garlic in a little oil until the scallion becomes transparent. Add the sardines and cook them for a few minutes, until the flesh loses its raw appearance without drying out. Add raisins soaked and squeezed, toasted pine nuts, wild fennel and saffron infusion. Cook gently until the base is soft and fragrant.

Bring to a boil the blanching water, salt it and cook the spaghetti following the indicated time, draining them al dente. Keep a ladle of water, transfer the pasta to the sauce and turn off the heat. Vigorously stir with a little water at a time and a drizzle of olive oil until the sauce becomes shiny and thick.

Distribute the spaghettoni on the hot plates and complete with the soft bread crumb crunchy and some toasted pine nuts. Add a drizzle of olive oil raw, off the heat, black pepper and, if desired, a few drops of lemon. Serve immediately, before the soft bread crumb lose consistency.