Pasta con Sarde

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            FOOD FUNNY
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The following story has been getting around quite a bit lately and has
gained the status of urban legend. Thanks to "FyjW" for sending it to
us.

After 17 years of marriage, a man dumped his wife for a younger woman.
He wanted to continue living in their downtown luxury apartment with
his new lover, so he asked his wife to move out and get another place.
His wife agreed to this, provided that he would give her three days
alone at the apartment to pack up her things.

She spent the first day packing her belongings into boxes, crates, and
suitcases. On the second day, she had the movers come and collect her
things. On the third day, she sat down for the last time at their
beautiful dining table by candlelight, put on some soft background
music, and feasted on a pound of shrimp and a bottle of Chardonnay.

When she had finished, she went into each room and deposited a few of
the half-eaten shrimp shells into the hollow of the curtain rods. She
then cleaned up the kitchen and left.

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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I can't go for very long without craving pasta in one form or another,
and the same seems to be true for choosing weekly themes. Here
is an assortment of recipes featuring one of my favorite foods:

Monday's Entree
Pasta con Sarde

Tuesday's Entree
Soba Salad

Wednesday's Entree
Pastitsio

Thursday's Entree
Crispy Noodle Pancake with Stir-Fried Vegetables

Friday's Entree
Linguine with Tuna and Arugula

Even though this week's recipes span the globe, it feels almost
sacrilegious to start a week of pasta recipes with anything other than
an Italian classic. Here is a traditional favorite from the island of
Sicily.

Pasta con Sarde

6 Tbs (90 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 anchovies, rinsed and finely chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) finely chopped feathery leaves
from fresh fennel
1/4 cup (60 ml) pine nuts (pignoli)
2 Tbs (30 ml) raisins soaked in hot water for 10
minutes and drained
1 can (3 3/4 oz, 106 g) sardines packed in oil, drained
1 lb (450 g) spaghetti, bucatini, or perciatelli, cooked
according to package directions and drained
1/4 cup (60 ml) toasted bread crumbs

Heat the oil in a large skillet over moderate heat and saute the onion
until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the anchovies and
stir until they dissolve. Add the fennel leaves, pine nuts, raisins,
and sardines. Cook, stirring gently, for 5 minutes. Toss with the
cooked pasta and transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with toasted
bread crumbs and toss gently. Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Mon Apr 5 03:38:51 2004