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1
Preheat oven to 350F.
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2
Remove heads and tails from half the sardines.
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3
Cut in 1 inch pieces.
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4
Leave second half intact.
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5
Wash and trim fennel.
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6
Put into pan with about 8 cups cold, salted water.
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7
Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 5- 8 minutes.
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8
Remove with slotted spoon, drain in colander, then gently squeeze out water.
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9
Chop roughly.
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10
Reserve cooking water.
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11
Heat 1/4 cup oil in frying pan.
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12
Saute onions over medium heat until golden.
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13
Add chopped sardines and anchovies.
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14
As they cook, crush sardines with back of spoon to make a thick paste.
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15
Add pine nuts, raisins, saffron, salt and pepper.
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16
In a separate pan, heat remaining oil and lightly saute the fennel, removing to a separate bowl.
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17
Saute the remaining whole sardines.
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18
Cook until tender, about 10 minutes, turning once gently to not break sardines.
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19
Using fennel water, boil pasta until al dente, about 10 -= 12 minutes.
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20
Drain.
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21
Put in bowl and dress with half the sardine sauce.
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22
Put a layer of dressed pasta in an ovenproof casserole.
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23
On top of that, put a layer of fennel, then a a layer of whole sardines with additional sauce.
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24
Continue until ingredients are used up, ending with a layer of bucatini.
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25
Cover with breadcrumbs.
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26
Sprinkle breadcrumbs over top.
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27
Cover and bake in preheated 350F oven 15 - 20 minutes.
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28
Pasta may be served hot or cold.
