Bigoli con le sarde

How it is made

Quantities are for 4 people. The steps are in the order you do them.

1. if you are using salted sardines, soak them in water for a few hours changing the water several times, or in milk for 30 minutes; if they are fresh, take off the head, bones and fins, lift the fillets and cut everything into small pieces
2. pour plenty of extra virgin olive oil into a large pan, soften the finely chopped onion over a medium heat without letting it colour, and add the chopped garlic
3. add the sardines and cook them over a medium low heat, stirring gently: they should not fry but melt into a cream
4. add the chopped cherry tomatoes and, if it needs it, deglaze with the white wine or loosen with two or three tablespoons of the pasta water
5. when the sardines have reduced to a sauce, after five to eight minutes, turn off the heat and add the chopped parsley, the pepper and a little salt, because the sardines are already savoury
6. cook the bigoli in plenty of salted water, adjusting the salt to the kind of sardines, and drain them al dente, keeping back a ladle of the cooking water
7. tip the bigoli into the pan, turn the heat back on and toss for a minute or two, loosening with the cooking water until the sauce is creamy
8. serve with a fresh cherry tomato and parsley, a spoonful of toasted breadcrumbs if you like, and a well chilled glass of Lugana DOC alongside