What she’d tell you
Sardines were poor-fisherman food once. Now the whole world has rediscovered them: full of omega-3, cheap, and delicious when treated with respect. Babcio was ahead of her time, as always.
What you need
Written for 2. Change that in the app and the amounts follow.
Tick things off as you get them ready.
Continue to the method ↓
How it goes
Cook pasta in well-salted boiling water until al dente. Save a cup of pasta water before draining.
While pasta cooks, drain one tin of sardines (keep the other tin with its sauce). Heat 1 tsp olive oil plus the oil from the drained tin in a pan over medium heat.
Add sliced garlic and cook gently 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes and cook 3 minutes until they start to burst.
Add both tins of sardines (including the sauce from the second tin) and break the fish into chunks with a spoon.
Add drained pasta and a splash of pasta water. Toss over medium heat for 1 minute. Add lemon juice, parsley, and chili flakes if using.
If you haven’t got it
Sardines in Tomato Sauce
tinned mackerel, or anchovies with a spoon of passata
Pasta
any long shape: spaghetti or linguine
Keeping it
Two days, because of the fish. Keep it cold and covered.
A pan with a splash of water, briefly. Or eat it cold, which Italians do without apology.
