Ingredients:- 1 lb. Margherita macaroni (narrow lasagna, curly on both sides)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped for the breadcrumbs
- 1½ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ lb. of wild fennels or the green foliage of bulb fennel
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced for sauce
- 3 cloves of garlic, slightly crushed
- 8 salted fillet of anchovies rinsed.
- 1 tablespoon of seedless currants or raisins
- 1 ½ tablespoons of pine nuts
- 1 cup of olive oil
- Dry hot red peppers flakes, served on the side
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
The Breadcrumbs
Over a medium flame, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 12 inch sauté pan.
Add diced onions and sauté until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes (In some parts of Sicily onions are substituted with sugar). Stir in the breadcrumbs and keep stirring until crumbs are light golden. While stirring the breadcrumb blend in 4 additional tablespoons of olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste. Place in a container and set on the side.
The Fennels
Bring a large pot with 5 quarts of water to a boil; add fennels, 1 tablespoon of salt. Keep pot at a medium heat for 15 minutes or until fennels are tender.
Scoop out the boiled fennels with a slatted spoon and place them on a dish to cool down. When they are cool, chop them very fine. Save the fennel water for cooking the pasta.
Bring a large pot with 5 quarts of water to a boil; add fennels, 1 tablespoon of salt. Keep pot at a medium heat for 15 minutes or until fennels are tender.
Scoop out the boiled fennels with a slatted spoon and place them on a dish to cool down. When they are cool, chop them very fine. Save the fennel water for cooking the pasta.
The Anchovy’s Sauce
Over a medium flame, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan.
Add the sliced onions and sauté for 8 minutes or until onions are golden. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
In a small plate, using a fork, mash the anchovies with 2 tablespoons of oil until the anchovies are reduced to a paste.
Stir the anchovies with the onion and the garlic, add the fennels, currants (or raisins), pine nuts and ¾ of a cup of the reserved water; simmer over low heat. Add pepper and taste sauce for salt which is rarely needed because of the salted anchovies.
Over a medium flame, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan.
Add the sliced onions and sauté for 8 minutes or until onions are golden. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
In a small plate, using a fork, mash the anchovies with 2 tablespoons of oil until the anchovies are reduced to a paste.
Stir the anchovies with the onion and the garlic, add the fennels, currants (or raisins), pine nuts and ¾ of a cup of the reserved water; simmer over low heat. Add pepper and taste sauce for salt which is rarely needed because of the salted anchovies.
The Pasta
Bring the reserved water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and cook the pasta following the manufactures directions. Reduce the recommended cooking time by 2 minutes.
Drain pasta, reserve a cup of water and toss the cooked pasta into the sauté pan with the sauce. Toss until pasta and sauce are well combined, add ½ of the breadcrumbs and over a low heat gently turn for about 2 minutes. If it is too dry, add some of the reserved water. Serve immediately.
Garnish each dish with some breadcrumbs, drizzle with a few drops of olive oil and offer hot red pepper flakes and the remaining breadcrumbs on the side.
Bring the reserved water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and cook the pasta following the manufactures directions. Reduce the recommended cooking time by 2 minutes.
Drain pasta, reserve a cup of water and toss the cooked pasta into the sauté pan with the sauce. Toss until pasta and sauce are well combined, add ½ of the breadcrumbs and over a low heat gently turn for about 2 minutes. If it is too dry, add some of the reserved water. Serve immediately.
Garnish each dish with some breadcrumbs, drizzle with a few drops of olive oil and offer hot red pepper flakes and the remaining breadcrumbs on the side.
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