A delicious, light and umami weeknight pasta dish for the whole family, this Sardine Pasta is brimming with Italian coastal flavours. Fresh sardines, chilli, garlic and spaghetti in a tomato rich pasta sauce spiked with capers and olives.
Cook spaghetti in salted water as per packet instructions. Drain all but some cooking water and set aside.
Heat oil in a large, shallow non-stick pan on high.
Add sardine fillets and cook on each side for approximately 3 minutes until browned. Make sure you use tongs to flip them very gently.
Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic and chilli flakes and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
Add tomato sugo and diced tomatoes. Mix lightly making sure not to disturb the sardine too much. Add capers, salt and pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes until bubbling.
Add cooked spaghetti and a tablespoon or two of cooking water. Toss and mix gently until pasta is coated with the sauce. Check and adjust seasoning.
Garnish with parsley and freshly grated parmesan. Serve immediately.
Add tapenade, mix gently and cook for 5-6 minutes until heated through and fragrant.
Notes
Sardines - Fresh sardine fillets are easily available at fishmongers. You can also use sardines in tins or jars. Skip Step No 3 and just add tinned sardines along with garlic and chilli as you won't need to brown it. Tomato Sugo - This is just bottled rich Italian tomato sauce cooked with ripe tomatoes, onion, garlic and salt. I use one that is infused with basil for a lovely flavour. If you can't find sugo, substitute with passata and fresh basil leaves.Tapenade - This is an olive spread made with olives, capers and often anchovies. It is zippy, salty and briny and adds a punchy flavour to the pasta. If you can't find it, substitute with 6-8 finely chopped green and kalamata olives.Make It Dairy Free - Skip the parmesan or use a vegan substitute.