This Underrated Italian Sauce Is A Delectable Way To Add More Omega-3s To Your Diet
We're big fans of nudging dishes that fly under the radar into the spotlight. A good example is pasta alla gricia, with its easy-to-make Italian sauce. It's not the only recipe from the "old country" that we think deserves to be on more dinner menus, especially for anyone looking to get more omega-3 fatty acids in their diet. Pasta con le sarde is a Sicilian classic with two delicious fish at the heart of its sauce: sardines and anchovies.
Sardines are one of several fish that are just as nutritious as salmon, but they pack a decent omega-3 punch, too; the canned kind has 982 milligrams of the fatty acid, according to the USDA. Likewise, anchovies serve up plenty of omega-3, making pasta con le sarde brilliant not just for our tastebuds but our heart and brain health as well.
In Italy, this recipe is most often cooked in the warmer months, but it isn't a new one — its roots can be traced all the way back to the 9th century. The story goes that one (or more) resourceful cooks threw together what they could from a range of local ingredients, which, alongside the fresh fish, also included raisins, pine nuts, and fennel, creating a sauce they hoped would please a hungry Italian commander waging war in Sicily. Pasta con le sarde was the delicious result.
From Italian peasant food to a New Orleans staple, with a few changes along the way
The enduring popularity of pasta con le sarde in Sicily is proof those medieval cooks were definitely on to something, even if the ingredients have been tinkered around with over the centuries. Some versions called for salted sardines and anchovies rather than fresh fish, saffron was an early addition, and some versions have breadcrumbs and fresh tomatoes. Others have nixed the dried fruit or pine nuts, though many say they're regarded as indispensable today. Italian immigrants eventually brought the dish to the United States, where it became particularly known around New Orleans, where it is eaten as part of the festivities connected to St. Joseph's Day in March.
The year-round availability of sardine and anchovies means we can enjoy this interesting dish whenever we feel like it. It works best with strands of pasta, like bucatini, spaghetti, or macaroni, and alongside the omega-3 boost from the fish-based sauce. As long as you don't make any of these mistakes, canned sardines and anchovies work beautifully. It's a sweet-savory pasta feast that comes with a little crunch too, thanks to the pine nuts or toasted breadcrumbs if you use them. And though fennel may not play well with other veggies for gardeners, its complex aniseed flavor adds a new dimension to what could be an overwhelmingly fishy dish otherwise, while also complementing the other ingredients. If you can get your hands on some at a farmers' market, switch your fennel leaves for the wild version, known as finocchietto, for an authentic taste of Italy.