Main dish

Pasta With Sardines

Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until lightly browned, watching carefully to prevent burning. For breadcrumbs, toast in a dry skillet, until crispy.

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 pound spaghetti

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup each dry white wine and chicken broth

Pinch saffron threads, crumbled

3 cans (3.75 to 4.37 ounces each) sardines in oil, drained

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/4 to 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

1/2 cup bread crumbs, toasted

Place the raisins in a cup of hot water to soak, 20 minutes. Cook the spaghetti in a pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the fennel and onion; season with a sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, 10 minutes.

Add the wine and broth; allow to reduce slightly. Drain raisins; add raisins, saffron and half the sardines to the skillet. Break up the sardines into the sauce with a fork. Simmer, 1 minute. Coarsely chop remaining sardines in bite-size pieces; gently stir into the sauce along with fennel seeds.

Drain the pasta, saving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Add the spaghetti to the skillet, tossing with the sauce and adding a little pasta water to loosen the sauce, if needed. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and bread crumbs. Makes 6 servings.

Per serving: 577 calories, 17 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 75 mg cholesterol, 80 g carbohydrates, 27 g protein, 554 mg sodium, 6 g fiber.