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Sardines, wild fennel, pine nuts, and raisins come together in this pasta that captures Sicily's sea and land.
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A dish centered around Palermo that embodies Sicilian cuisine at its most distinctive. It carries the strong imprint of the Arabs who once ruled the island: sardines from the sea are paired with sweet pine nuts and raisins and the warm scent of saffron — an unusual combination for a Mediterranean fish dish. Wild fennel fronds are boiled and used to flavor the sauce, lending it a bright green fragrance. Toasted breadcrumbs stand in for cheese on top — a tradition traced back to fishing families too poor to afford cheese, and still followed today as the dish's proper finishing touch.
Boil the fennel fronds until soft, then chop (reserve the cooking water for the pasta).
Soak the raisins in warm water. Toast the breadcrumbs in a little olive oil until golden.
Heat olive oil, garlic, and anchovy in a pan, mashing the anchovy as it melts.
Add the sardines, chopped fennel, pine nuts, drained raisins, and saffron; simmer briefly.
Cook the bucatini in the fennel water.
Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce, plate, and top generously with the toasted breadcrumbs.