Directions

1. Get ready. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it heavily. Carefully slice the onion and the fennel bulb very thinly; use a mandoline slicer if you have one. Reserve the fennel fronds.

2. Steep the raisins and saffron. Warm the wine in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once beginning to steam, add the raisins and saffron. Cover and set aside to soak while you prepare the sauce.

3. Sauté the aromatics. Warm a wide, deep sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. Open the tin of sardines and measure the oil from it into the pan. Add more olive oil if necessary to make up 2 tablespoons, or a thin layer on the bottom of the pan. Add anchovy filets and sauté them gently until they have melted into the oil. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook just until fragrant, only a minute. Add onion and fennel to the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring often, until everything has softened and begun to caramelize, about 6 to 8 minutes.

4. Cook the pasta. Meanwhile, add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions.

5. Finish the sauce. Add the sardines to the pan with the aromatics, breaking them up slightly, and lemon juice. Add the white wine, saffron, and raisins mixture. Lower the heat to medium-low and allow the the whole mixture to simmer together and reduce. Taste and add salt if necessary.

6. Toast the breadcrumbs and pine nuts. In a separate small skillet over medium heat, toast pine nuts and breadcrumbs, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly browned.

7. Combine the pasta and sauce. When pasta is al dente, reserve one cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sauce, tossing gently to combine. Splash in the reserved cooking water as needed to maintain a loose, silky texture.

8. Finish and serve. Serve the pasta topped with breadcrumb-pine nut mixture, sprinkled with lemon zest and reserved fennel fronds, and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.