Don't be scared, it's delicious! You can also substitute the sardines with quality tuna. Fry fresh bread crumbs in olive oil and set aside. Toast pine nuts in dry cazuela and set aside. Saute chopped fennel (just the white part) and onion until soft, but not brown. In mortar and pestle, grind pinch of saffron. Add white wine and steep. Meanwhile, prep the sardines. Break them into pieces and remove the back bones. After fennel/onion mixture is soft, add grated garlic, anchovies and golden raisins. After a minute or so, add the saffron wine mixture. Add a pic of red pepper flakes and pine nuts. Undercook your pasta by at least 2 minutes, it's going to finish cooking in the sauce. Add the pasta to the sauce with tongs, reserving the cooking water. Add pasta water as needed, until it is cooked through, being careful not to dry it out. Add the sardines, tossing to incorporate. Serve garnished with fried bread crumbs, fennel fronds and any leftover pine nuts.
YUM!
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