Pasta De Sardine (Pasta in a Sardine sauce recipe)

_ This recipe is just for Colin who was complaining that I had not posted any recently.. Though we had this last night for tea, I forgot to take any snapshots of it so you will have to imagine the beautiful pasta covered in the rich fishy sauce..It only takes about 15 minutes to cook, and a couple of minutes preparation. This makes enough for 2 people

Ingredients

• 1 Can of sardines
• 1 Can anchovy fillets
• 1 Can chopped tomatoes
• 2-3 Coarsely chopped baby tomatoes – not necessary but look good as decoration
• 1 Onion finely chopped
• 1 Pepper finely chopped
• 1 Chilli finely chopped – can be reduced or missed out if don't like spicy hot food
• 1 table spoon of capers
• 1 tbs dried basil or handful of fresh basil laves chopped
• A drizzle of olive oil, just enough to fry the onions and peppers stopping them sticking to the pan
• a dash of balsamic vinegar
• Enough dried pasta for two
• a vegetable of choice, eg broccoli, or peas, or chopped carrots
• Seasoning of salt and black pepper
• Grated parmesan – if not on a low fat diet

Method

• Remove the backbones from the sardines
• Lightly fry the onion, chilli, capers and peppers in frying pan for around 5 minutes
• Remove from heat and place in food processor
• Add sardines, anchovies, and chopped tomatoes
• Blitz in processor for a couple of minutes till have a semi smooth sauce
• Pour back into pan and set at gentle heat
• Put the dried pasta on to cook
• Add basil
  
• Add a dash of balsamic vinegar to sauce and stir to prevent from burning
• Start cooking vegetable of choice preferably steaming it
• Taste sauce and add seasoning as required – probably black pepper
  

When pasta and vegetables are cooked transfer all the ingredients to a large bowl and using tongs or 2 spoons, gently combine everything until the pasta is coated in the sardine sauce and the vegetables are evenly distributed. (Add the coarsely chopped baby tomatoes and a little more chopped fresh basil if using them as a decoration and sprinkle with grated parmesan if not on low fat diet) and serve immediately. Goes well with a bit of fresh crusty bread but not if on a diet.

Enjoy...