Ruby makes Sicilian pantry pasta

Step 1/ 4

• 1 onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• salt

• knife
• cutting board
• mortar and pestle
• pot (large)

Finely chop onion and mince garlic cloves. Roughly grind fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle or crush with the flat side of a knife. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

Step 2/ 4

• 3 tbsp breadcrumbs
• olive oil (for frying)
• 4 anchovies
• 250 mafaldine pasta

• frying pan
• spatula
• bowl (small)

Toast breadcrumbs in a dry pan over medium heat, tossing regularly. Pour into a plate or bowl and set aside. Add olive oil to the same pan over medium heat. Once it begins to heat up, add the anchovies and stir until melted, approx. 30 sec. Add onion and fry until soft, approx. 5 min. In the meantime, add pasta to the pot of salted water, so that it begins cooking and you have the starchy pasta water to add to the sauce in the next step.

Step 3/ 4

• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 1½ tbsp tomato paste
• 150 ml pasta water

• ladle

Add garlic, crushed fennel seeds, chili flakes, pine nuts, and raisins. Fry, stirring continuously until the pine nuts just start to brown, approx. 3 min. Add tomato paste and fry for 1 min. more. Scoop up pasta water with a ladle and pour into the frying pan, then increase heat to medium-high and let the sauce simmer to thicken.

Step 4/ 4

• fennel fronds (for garnish)

• tongs

Once the pasta is very al dente, transfer it over to the sauce using tongs (or drain with a sieve, if desired) and toss continuously for approx. 1 min., so the sauce and pasta meld together, adding more pasta water as needed to achieve a glossy sauce. Serve with breadcrumbs on top and garnish with fennel fronds, if you have some on hand. Enjoy!

Enjoy your meal!