-
1
If youre using salt-packed or oil-poached anchovies, rinse them, then soak them for 20 to 30 minutes, changing the water once halfway through.
-
2
Drain them, remove and discard their backbones, and set the anchovies aside.
-
3
Toast the bread in a toaster or a preheated 350F oven until its golden brown.
-
4
When they have cooled a bit, put the toasted slices in a food processor and pulse to make fine crumbs.
-
5
Youll need 3/4 cup.
-
6
Add half of the fennel fronds and all of the parsley to the crumbs and pulse a few times to combine them well.
-
7
Set aside.
-
8
Soak the raisins in the Pernod for 30 minutes to 1 hour (or warm water if youprefer to not use Pernod) in a small bowl.
-
9
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside in a warm spot.
-
10
On a cutting board, chop the anchovy fillets with the minced garlic, then take the flat part of a chefs knife and smear the ingredients into the board, scraping across the board as you smear.
-
11
Scoop up the paste with the knife, form it into a blob, and repeat the smearing and scraping until you have a smooth paste.
-
12
Heat a small saute pan over medium heat for 1 minute.
-
13
Add the pine nuts to the dry pan and toast, tossing often (or else theyll burn!
-
14
), just until they begin to release their aroma and color slightly, about 3 minutes.
-
15
Spill them onto a plate to cool.
-
16
Once theyve cooled, give them a coarse chop.
-
17
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it until it tastes like the ocean.
-
18
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a straight-sided saute pan over medium heat.
-
19
Add the anchovy-garlic paste and cook, stirring often, until you smell the garlic, about 2 minutes.
-
20
Add the tomato paste, stirring to combine and coat the other ingredients, then add the diced tomato, remaining fennel fronds, and 1/4 cup water.
-
21
Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, to blend the flavors and thicken the sauce slightly, 8 to 10 minutes.
-
22
Add the wild fennel or fennel pollen and the sardine fillets.
-
23
Use a fork to roughly mash the fillets into the sauce, leaving the pieces in chunks.
-
24
Cook the pasta in salted boiling water for 1 minute less than the package instructs.
-
25
Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce.
-
26
Drain the raisins (sip on the infused Pernod if you are feeling frisky), give them a coarse chop, and add them to the pasta along with the pine nuts.
-
27
Toss it all together.
-
28
Divide the pasta among four big bowls.
-
29
Sprinkle each with the herbed breadcrumbs and eat now.
