Spaghetti alle Sarde con Erbette

Ingredients

•     1/2 cup of cherry or grape tomatoes

•     1 fennel bulb, chopped into small pieces

•     3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

•     2  cloves garlic, peeled and left whole

•     1 can of sardines packed in olive oil

•     1/2 lb of whole wheat spaghetti

•     Salt for pasta water

•     Fennel fronds, chopped

•     1 tbsp. mint, chopped

•     1 tbsp. parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Wash tomatoes and fennel and cut the fennel into half moons, toss them on a baking sheet with 2 tbsps of extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast them for 10 to 15 minutes, until the fennel has browned and the tomatoes have shriveled.

2. Fill a large pot with water for the pasta. Bring to a boil over high heat.

3. Heat the rest of the oil in a wide saucepan over medium-high heat and add the whole cloves of garlic. When garlic starts to sizzle add the roasted fennel and tomatoes, sautè for a few minutes until the tomato starts to break down into a sauce, squishing them with the back of a wooden spoon.

4. Once the water starts to boil for the pasta add a small handful of salt to the water and bring to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. You should add the sardines to the pan at this point.

5. When the pasta is perfectly al dente. Without shaking all of the water out of the colander pour the pasta into the pan and toss it with the sauce. This allows for the pasta to cook a little longer in the sauce and to absorb the flavor.

6. Take the pan off of the heat and toss with chopped mint, parsley and fennel fronds. Serve immediately.