Ingredients

2 tins Fishwife Little Sardines (including their oil)

⅓ cup currants

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup Panko breadcrumbs

1 lemon, zested and juiced, divided

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 medium fennel bulb, finely chopped, fronds chopped and reserved

4 small cloves garlic, sliced

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

½ pound bucatini pasta

½ cup pine nuts, toasted

¼ cup capers, rinsed

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions 

Combine the currants, red-pepper flakes and wine in a bowl; set aside. 

In a large deep skillet, melt the butter. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and toss with lemon zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Wipe out skillet completely.

In the same skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the fennel and garlic. Cook until fragrant and translucent, Season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fennel is tender, about 10 minutes. Add fennel seeds and cook until toasted and fragrant, 2 minutes.

Add the wine mixture and the sardines (along with their oil), breaking them into pieces with the back of a spatula. Bring to a boil and gently simmer for 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the bucatini until al dente, 6 to 8 minutes, reserve some pasta water and strain. Add pasta, pine nuts, capers, half of the toasted breadcrumbs and fennel fronds to sardine mixture in skillet, and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.