Name: Pasta with Anchovies, Currants, Fennel, and Pine Nuts
Prep time: 35 minutes
Total time: 35 Minutes
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 8 anchovy fillets; 1 large onion, very thinly sliced; 1 large fresh fennel bulb, trimmed, halved, very thinly sliced; 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper; 2 plum tomatoes, chopped; 1/4 cup pine nuts; 1/4 cup dried currants; 3/4 pound perciatelli (thick hollow spaghetti) or linguine; 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads; 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, toasted

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Pasta with Anchovies, Currants, Fennel, and Pine NutsTina Rupp

Chef Sal Passalacqua of Dimaio Cucina in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, writes: "My father's family is from Sicily and I spent my teenage years there, so that's where a lot of my culinary influences come from. At first glance, Sicilian cooking seems very simple, but that simplicity depends on using the freshest ingredients and often the combination of sweet and tart flavors. The anchovy pasta is a perfect example."

This dish is a variation on the traditional Sicilian pasta made with sardines. Anchovies have replaced the sardines, but the flavors are still very authentic.

Test-kitchen tip:

For fresh breadcrumbs, grind pieces of crustles French bread in processor to coarse crumbs. Then toast on rimmed baking sheet in 350°F oven until golden, about 10 minutes.

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