Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

This is my version of a classic Sicilian recipe, pasta con sarde, which, as you may have guessed, normally uses fresh sardines. Anchovies work better for this, I think, because they are smaller and so work well as a topper for a pasta dish. Putting sardines on top of a plate of pasta is mildly off-putting because they will cover it: It’s like those salads with a cut-up steak on top of them, which are neither a salad nor a steak entree.

The keys to this dish are super-fresh anchovies, good olive oil and the bottarga. You can order this salted, cured fish roe through the internet or make it yourself it you are so inclined. I use shad roe here, but mullet roe is traditional.

Serves 4

• 16-20 fresh anchovies, cleaned and lightly sprinkled with salt
• flour for dredging
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted in a dry pan
• 2 tablespoons dried barberries or dried, sweetened cranberries
• 1/3 cup minced fennel fronds
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 shot of ouzo
• Bottarga for grating

Heat a large frying pan over high heat for 3 minutes. Add the olive oil, turn the heat down to medium-high and heat for 2 minutes.

Begin cooking the spaghetti in a large pot of salted water – the water should taste like the sea.

Dredge the anchovies in flour, shake off the excess and fry in the oil until golden brown. They will not need more then 2 minutes per side for this, and probably less than that. Set fried anchovies aside on a paper towel to drain.

Saute the shallots until browned, adding the pine nuts and barberries/craisins halfway through. Add the teaspoon salt, then add 1/2 the fennel fronds and the shot of ouzo. Cook or flame off the alcohol and toss to combine. Add a little pasta water if it’s too tight.

Toss this sauce with the cooked, drained pasta and plate. Arrange the anchovies on top of the pasta, grate some bottarga over it all, then garnish with the remaining fennel fronds. Serve it forth!