Caramelised fennel & sardine fusilli

Keep a stash of tinned fish, pasta and pine nuts in your cupboard, and you’ll never be far from a quick meal.

Ingreadient

• 10g pine nuts
• 1 tsp sunflower oil
• ¼ tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• 1 small bulb fennel, very finely sliced, fronds reserved
• 90g Essential Fusilli (dried)
• 120g can Essential Sardines in Spring Water, drained
• ½ unwaxed lemon, zest and juice

Step by step

1. Toast the pine nuts in a large frying pan until golden, then tip into a bowl and set aside. Return the pan to a medium heat and add the oil. Add the fennel seeds and sizzle for 30 seconds, then add the fennel with a pinch of salt. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until tender and caramelised.
2. Meanwhile, cook the fusilli in a pan of boiling, salted water, according to pack instructions, until al dente. Save a mugful of the cooking water before draining. Tip the pasta into the pan of fennel along with the sardines and lemon zest. Stir well, adding a glug of the pasta water to combine and coat. Mix in the lemon juice and pine nuts, then grind over plenty of black pepper. Serve scattered with the reserved fennel fronds.