La Pasta con le Sarde di Vicio
Among the most famous pastas in Sicily (after pasta alla Norma) is undoubtedly pasta con le sarde. Much older than pasta alla Norma, pasta con le sarde is said to have Arabic origins.
Origins of Pasta con le Sarde
In fact, during the period when Sicily was occupied by the Arabs, it is said that an Arab cook was forced to cook for a large squadron of warriors. Anxious, he adapted to what the land and sea could provide.
The sardines, such a humble yet genuine fish, he combined with the flavor of wild fennel that grew on the hills, and it is said that this was perhaps how the first “Mari e Monti” (sea and mountains) dish in history was born, that is, pasta con le sarde and wild fennel.
Key Ingredients of Pasta con le Sarde
Of course, among other typical ingredients of Arabic cuisine, saffron, raisins, and pine nuts could not be missing. This is the classic and true pasta con le sarde.
Vicio’s Personal Memories and Sicilian Traditions
My personal memories of this dish are connected to a couple of specific times of the year and, of course, to my mother, whom we will call Mrs. Anna.
Carnival Time
The first period we’ll talk about is from February to mid-March. This time of year includes Carnival; specifically, on Shrove Thursday or Shrove Tuesday, it is customary to eat pasta con le sarde, followed by the equally famous Sicilian cannoli and Chiacchere!
Feast of St. Joseph
Also in this period, around mid-March in the days following March 19th, which is Father’s Day, besides the traditional tables or altars that families set up in their homes as a vow for grace received, laden and overflowing with all kinds of delicacies, and pilgrims gathered to celebrate the traditional feast of St. Joseph, at these tables laden with traditional food of all kinds, the lunch moment is marked by pasta con le sarde prepared in a large cauldron and offered to all present.
Madonna del Ponte Festival
Another time that moves me deeply is mid-April. You should know that exactly one week after Easter, in my town, it is customary to celebrate the feast of the Madonna del Ponte. As many will know, food in Sicily, as in Italy, is often linked to a Christian activity or celebration.
The Pilgrimage and Wild Fennel Harvest
In this week following Easter, on Thursday it was customary for my family, friends, and me to embark on a pilgrimage of about 3 to 4 hours towards the sanctuary of the Madonna del Ponte, about 6 to 8 km from my town. The path, which wound through the mountains, was truly rich in a variety of vegetation. From mountain rosemary to many medicinal herbs, to “Babbaluci” snails, to wild mountain fennel.
Mrs. Anna’s Fennel Gathering
And here, Mrs. Anna (alias my mom) came into action. Ready with her small knife, she would gather the wild fennel she found in the rocks. You should know that the period of April is the best time to enjoy this delectable vegetable. As the sun begins to become hotter and the soil retains less moisture, this natural dehydration leads to the growth of this herb, which has a truly concentrated and extremely aromatic fragrance.
The Best Pasta con le Sarde of the Year
Knowing this, every year during this period, I always ate the best pasta con le sarde of the year. That’s why the following Sunday, besides celebrating in procession the feast of our patron saint, Madonna del Ponte, it was also customary to celebrate by eating pasta con le sarde for lunch.
La Pasta con le Sarde di Vicio
Mrs. Anna’s Pasta con le Sarde
Recipe and Cooking Process
First, she would order fresh sardines from our trusted fishmonger. Once cleaned and deboned, they were lightly rinsed under running water and set aside.
In a pot, she would start by sautéing two large onions in a base of extra virgin olive oil, and about 5 or 6 fillets of salted sardines or anchovies in oil. When the onions turned golden, she would add the fresh sardines and wait for them to cook.
Then, she would add the wild fennel, saffron, raisins, and pine nuts, mixing with a bit of tomato (we add tomato, and only in our area it was customary to add cauliflower, but only in our small area). Once cooking is finished, add salt to taste and the sauce for our pasta is ready.
Traditional Pasta Type
But as everyone knows, every sauce is traditionally linked to a very particular type of pasta. Normally for pasta con le sarde, bucatini is used, which is a large hollow spaghetti. This is for those who don’t have much time available.
Homemade Maccarruna
Do you know what Mrs. Anna did?
On Sunday morning, she would knead 500 grams of durum wheat flour, grasp a “Ddisa” stick, and start making bucatini, called Maccarruna, which is the traditional pasta shape suitable for pasta con le sarde—Maccarruna with sardines in Sicilian language.
This dish is completed with a sprinkle of toasted breadcrumbs with a drizzle of olive oil and salt.
The Flavor Profile of Pasta con le Sarde
What should you expect from this dish? It is certainly an intensely flavored dish, with a very present aromatic combination, but also very delicious. The intense flavor of the sardines is cut by the aroma of the wild fennel, sweetened by the raisins with a backdrop of fragrances from the saffron and the crunchiness of the pine nuts, making it undoubtedly the queen of the Sicilian table. And I make it faithfully as Mrs. Anna did.
Regional Variations
This, of course, is the recipe of my family, my mother, and my town. It differs from the Palermo, Catania, or Syracuse versions because, as everyone knows, from region to region a recipe can have small variations… As long as they are small variations and not turned into tourist traps. The variations are all dictated by local traditions and not personal whims.
Variants of Pasta con le Sarde
- Pasta con le sarde alla palermitana
- Pasta con le sarde alla Partinicese (la mia)
- Pasta con le sarde alla messinese
- Pasta con le sarde alla Palina o Paolina
- Pasta con le sarde all’anciova
- Pasta con le sarde alle milanese
- Pasta con le sarde alla siracusana
All variations but… All contain a story that…
We will tell you in the next recipe in Vicio Magazine!
