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Monday, March 15, 2010

Spaghetti and Sardines

Elegant in its simplicity, this dish was just the thing after an arduous trip home from Jersey. I was a little uncomfortable traveling in the lousy weather we had this weekend, but I was really looking forward to seeing these friends of ours. I knew Neeta would love their house, and I expected to have a great time visiting with my old friend from college days (in the 1890's) Well, we did have a great visit, but it was tiring. The trip there was in a driving rain. The evening lasted till 2:00 AM., and I forgot it was time to set the clocks ahead for Daylight Savings. I slept "like a twig" because it was an unfamiliar bed. And, the trip home took a really long time because of the rain and the fact that they closed the bottom deck of the George Washington Bridge. When we finally did arrive home, we were hungry, but I was not in the mood for cooking anything that would take a lot of preparation. Friends, in times like these, a dish like this is perfect. It's easy, delicious and quick. The only caveat I would add is make sure you have good quality ingredients. Then, you can not go wrong.


The Ingredients:
Spaghetti for two. I recommend if you are trying this that you use spaghetti
 because it compliments the other textures in the dish best.
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Red pepper flakes
A can of  boneless sardines packed in olive oil, drained and broken up
A small bunch of flat leaf Italian parsley (fresh), minced
About two tablespoons of good quality breadcrumbs
Your best quality extra virgin olive oil

The Procedure:
Put the pasta water on to boil. While it is getting hot, mince the garlic and parsley and open the sardines, drain and break them into bite sized pieces. When the water comes to the boil, salt it and drop in the pasta. With spaghetti, you will need to cook it about 11 minutes to get it to the point where it is still about one minute shy of being "al dente". That's how long you have to do the rest.



So, I started to get my skillet hot about 4 minutes after I dropped my pasta into the boiling water and stirred it around to make sure it wasn't sticking (The key is using plenty of water). Then, I added the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan.




After the garlic starts to turn slightly golden and you can smell its luscious aroma, add the sardines to the pan.







You may find that you come to a point in the process where your pasta still needs a minute or two but your garlic and sardines are ready. (Remember, you don't want the garlic to burn- it will become quite bitter)
No problem. Simply add a little of the pasta water to the pan as you see me doing here.




When the pasta reaches the crucial point (of about 11minutes) when it still needs another minute to become  perfectly al dente, drain it and add it immediately to the pan. Make sure before you do that that there is sufficient water in the pan (about 6 ounces) to cover the bottom and be soaked up by the pasta during the final minute of cooking. During that minute your heat should be on high. If you are still wondering why we do this at this late point of  following my blog, it's because of the first law of Your Italian Grandma pasta preparation; NEVER LET THE PASTA WAIT FOR THE SAUCE.

As soon as the pasta has finished absorbing the liquid in the pan and has reached the point of perfection, turn off the heat. Then, add your best quality olive oil (at least 3-4 tablespoons) and the parsley. Stir and plate the pasta. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the pasta and serve. No cheese please- it doesn't go with seafood. Simple and delicious!

18 comments:

  1. This looks and sounds so comforting. Nothing like a delicious plate of pasta for dinner. Or lunch!

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  2. This is comfort food at its best. This looks wonderful. Re: Potato Tart -there's no reason you can't. Just make sure to pat dry before adding. Too much residual liquid will stew rather than bake the potatoes. Have a great day,
    Joe.

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  3. Yes Joe, you are right "pasta is life"! I love pasta and like a good italian, I eat it every day. Your recipe is so...yummy! Pasta con le sarde is one of my favorite dishes, complimenti!
    I would like to follow you. What do you think? I live in Liguria, Italy and in past I have also lived for almost five years in brooklyn (I feel brooklyn like my second home and I usually come there). If you like, I write about Liguria's beauties and also about some recipes that we cook here in Liguria, in my blog http://beautiful-liguria.blogspot.com/

    A presto
    Ciao
    Anna

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  4. I just made this last week, only I haven't posted it yet! I also cheated and used anchovy paste instead of actual fillets. And I know the no-cheese-with-seafood rule... but really once the fish has melted into the oil, it's barely still seafood. Cheese makes dang-near everything better and I use a handful (or two) of Pecorino Romano cheese, and it is delicious!
    I guess this is why I wasn't blessed with being born Italian.

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  5. So you made anchovy paste and spaghetti?I've never had that. Regardless, you committed a venial sin by adding Pecorino to the pasta. Everyone knows fish and sheep are not friends. I suppose you cannot be faulted since you are clearly a non-Italian, and since we often put anchovies and cheese on foccacia or pizza ourselves, I will absolve you.LOL.

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  6. Thank you, Anna. I am honored that an Italian/Italian would follow my blog! And, my own dear mother's name was Anna! I have seen your beautiful blog and immediately chose to follow it!

    Ciao

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  7. Loving it. I could have pasta with every meal if Mike would let us. He has to have a rotation. And I will have to use my anchovy paste for this one as that is the only way to get those little fishes past him. He's not much of a fan ;D

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  8. Meat and potatoes, right? They are a hard sell on fish. Me? I'm a fan, but I love potatoes and rice too!

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  9. Thanks Joe, it's a pleasure...really! thanks also to come and visit my blog.
    So, see you soon.
    Anna

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  10. ...just curious :-), where were your italian grandma and mother from?

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  11. Hi Anna,

    All four of my grandparents were from Naples or Nolla. My dad's grandmother (my great grandmother)was in the court of the duke of Naples (I suppose that was an honorary position) When her husband died, his family tried to deny her and her children access to his inheritance. Angry, she took the children and moved to America. I believe my grandmother was in her late teens or early 20's at the time. She was a wonderful cook and taught my mom. My mother's parents emigrated twice. She (Small Grandma, we called her) was a business woman who ran a dry goods store, and my grandfather was a cabinet maker. I believe they emigrated here where my mom and her two sisters were born. Their oldest son was born in Italy.They returned to Italy when my mom was small, but conditions were so poor, they came right back leaving my uncle in Florence where he studied medicine and returned a doctor. (Uncle Doctor, we called him).By the time I was born, both my grandfathers had died, but happily, my grandmothers were with us till I was in my 20's. Thank you for your interest.
    Ciao

    Joe

    PS To my great regret, my parents never taught me or my two sisters to speak Italian.

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  12. I make a dish that's almost the same as this, but with tuna instead of sardines (preferably packed in olive oil). My husband's Italian father used to make it. And I do like to add a little grated cheese at the end.

    Ellen

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  13. Hi Ellen,

    I make spaghetti with tuna also. You're correct, the imported Italian tuna in olive oil is by far the best choice. The grated cheese though! It's like serving a Jew milk with his meat. It's just wrong! LOL Sorry, you enjoy it.BTW, when I make summer salads, I place a can of the imported tuna in the middle of the dish on a bed of lettuce and add beans, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes and always sliced cheese. Somehow, it doesn't bother me there.Crazy, no?

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  14. It's no worse than putting cheese in tuna casserole or having a tuna melt.

    Ellen

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  15. I hate tuna melt, but I see your point. Only, when you cook tuna with garlic and pasta, it doesn't seem right for me. Would you add cheese to pasta with clams? I'm sure it's just my cultural prejudices, but putting cheese on something as delicate tasting as shell fish or any other seafood masks the "taste of the sea" and ruins the dish.That's just me but Mario Batali happens to agree. Hey! It's a free country.

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  16. Ciao Joe! I'm 1/2 Italian, born in Bagnoli, Napoli. Yes, I put cheese on my pasta with clams, anchovies..... I just don't do it when in Italy! :) Don't want to get fussed at. My parents did not keep the Italian up in our house either growing up. So sad...I now struggle when talking to my cousins. Love your blog!

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  17. Thank you Deanna,

    I can forgive your schizophrenic eating behavior knowing how Italian parents can "fuss".Speaking of schizophrenia, my children are half Italian too. My next post is about their "other half".

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