With their crisp acidity and fresh fruit flavors, Sicily’s wines are versatile when it comes to food pairing. In general, white wines are better with lighter-bodied foods and fresh cheeses, while reds pair naturally with richer dishes. That said, white wine lovers can rely on Grillo to complement the entire meal, from pasta to grilled white meats and goat cheese. And the go-to for red-wine lovers is Nero d’Avola, which matches with everything from antipasti to grilled meats.
The Grillo’s citrus flavors are like a squeeze of fresh lemon on the fish while the Nero d’Avola’s ripe fruit flavors help the wine harmonize with the rich fish as well as the sweet raisins and pine nuts.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Blanch the fennel in the same pot of water that you’ll use to cook the pasta. In a skillet, heat some oil and brown the anchovies, onions, pine nuts, raisins and fennel. Add the tomato puree and let simmer for 2 minutes.
While the spaghetti is cooking, sear the sardines sliced open with the backbone removed. In another hot pan, toast the breadcrumbs in a tablespoon of oil.
Add the sardines to the sauce. Toss with the pasta with the sauce, adding the breadcrumbs and a few toasted pine nuts. Makes 4 servings.