Sardines pasta
============== 2024-02-01 *


Inspired by: Pâtes aux sardines et citron confit

Comment: A very tasty recipe, easy and quick to make but that requires good canned sardines, preferably in olive oil, preferably debonned and skinless. If your sardines are not deboned, debone them. Drain the sardines and do not use the oil from the can. If lemon confit is not available, I would replace it by capers or anchovie filets finely chopped, however the lemon confit is the real (not so) secret ingredient that makes this recipe.

2 servings

Ingredients:
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200 g pasta
2 cans of sardines in oil (8 to 10 sardines ~240 g)
1 small shallot
1 garlic clove
1 red hot pepper or dried chili pepper
1 tablespoon grated ginger (opt)
1/4 lemon confit
Pecorino romano
EVOO
S + P

Préparation:
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Drain and debone the sardines (if needed) and roughly mash them with a fork.
Finely chop the shallot
Finely chop the garlic (or grate it later on)
Chop the hot pepper (seeded)
Chop the lemon confit in small cubes, or prepare 1 tablespoon of capers or 2 chopped anchovy fillets

Assembly:
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Cook the pasta according to the time indicated on the package.
Meanwhile pour a generous quantity (3+ tablespoons) of EVOO in a pan large enough to hold the pasta at the end.
Sweat the shallot, after a while, add the garlic, the chili, the ginger (opt) and the sardines. Add pepper.
Add 1+ dl of the pasta water and simmer lightly while the pasta cooks.
When the pasta is almost ready, add the lemon confit, stir, add the drained pasta, mix and finish the cooking in the pan, add more pasta cooking water if necessary.
Serve with grated peccorino romano.