Pasta con le Sarde

Add a glug of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (as needed) to a large saucepan and fry the Yellow Onion (1) over medium to low heat until soft and translucent.

Add in the Anchovy Fillets (6), Black Olives (1 1/2 cups), and Capers (1/3 cup) and cook gently for a few minutes.

Deglaze the pan with the Red Wine Vinegar (1 Tbsp). Season the mixture with pepper then add the Diced Tomatoes (1 can) and Cherry Tomato (1 can). Stir through the Tomato Paste (1 can) and add in the Garlic (4 cloves).

Strip the Fresh Oregano (4 sprigs) from the stalks and add to the sauce. Pour in the Grappa (1 2/3 Tbsp) or vodka and season with Coarse Sea Salt (to taste) and Coarse Black Pepper (to taste). Leave the sauce on a very low heat to simmer and thicken slightly.

Remove the sauce from the heat and very gently stir through the Sardines in Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (7 oz), retaining the oil left in the tins. The sardines shouldn’t cook in the sauce, but rather be added at the very end. Feel free to reserve one or two fish to garnish the top of the dish with.

Fill a large pot with water and add a glug of olive oil and grind of salt.

Set the pot over high heat. When boiling, add in the Angel Hair Pasta (9 oz) and cook for 3 minutes for al dente.

Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water to loosen the sauce. Return the drained pasta to the empty pot, along with the reserved cooking water and oil from the tinned sardines. Spoon over the sauce and gently stir through the pasta.

To serve, dish the Pasta con le Sarde on to warmed plates, drizzle with olive oil and scatter over a little Grated Parmesan Cheese (to taste) and Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley (1 handful).