Sardines and Rosemary Pasta with Crunchy Garlic and Parsley Crumb

Hello Dear Reader,

 I love most seafood as long as it is not too "fishy" and I had never even eaten a sardine until I made this dish, I was always worried they would be too strong a flavour for me. How wrong I was, you just need to team sardines with likewise strong flavours that will enhance rather than overpower these little omega 3 rich fish.

I have vivid memories of my grandparents having sardines in tomato sauce on toast for Sunday dinner, I remember the smell being too much for me when I was young, I guess that is where my resistance to eating sardines came from. Never mind it is no longer an issue and would happily make and eat this dish again.

This dish came about as I am doing a freezer/pantry challenge at the moment, I had half a bottle of passata and breadcrumbs to use up from the freezer and the sardines and pasta was from the pantry, so I made a bit more room in the freezer and pantry and made this delicious dinner as well. Win win.

Ingredients for Sardines and Rosemary Pasta with Crunchy Garlic and Parsley Crumb, clockwise from top-500 ml Passata, 280 grams of pasta of your choice (I used a egg fettuccini) 2 cans sardines, drained, 25 grams of parmesan, grated, 1 long sprig of rosemary, finely chopped, 3 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane, a good handful of parsley, finely chopped, 80 grams of olives, pitted and roughly chopped and 50 grams of fresh breadcrumbs

In a small frypan, on medium heat, add a splash of oil then add the breadcrumbs, tossing to brown, keep an eye on them, turning heat down if they are browning too quickly.

Meanwhile in a large, non stick, heavy based frypan, on medium heat, add another splash of oil and add the drained sardines and finely chopped rosemary

Gently smosh the sardines with a wooden spoon and let cook away for 5 minutes or so

Now add the passata and bring to a gently simmer, cook away for 10 minutes to let the flavours mingle 

Add the chopped olives and warm through 

To the now golden breadcrumbs add half the grated parmesan and grated garlic and stir till fragrant 

Just before serving, add the chopped parsley and stir through

Cook the pasta in the usual way, drain well and reserve a 1/4 cup of cooking water. Add cooked pasta to sardine and passata mixture in pan and give it a gentle but thorough mix, thinning with water if needed

Serve straight from the pan 

Sprinkling over the crunchy golden Garlic and Parsley Crumb and finish with a good grating of  parmesan 

There you go a wonderfully easy and flavour packed dish that tastes delicious and is good for you too. So tell me, are you a fan of sardines or other oily fish? If so, how do you like to eat them?

Have a lovely day,

💗Fi

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