Pasta con finocchietto selvatico or wild fennel pasta is an easy Sicilian pasta recipe elevated with anchovies and crispy sautéed breadcrumbs and adding a lovely depth flavor and texture to this simple dish. And it's ready in about 30 minutes!
Just a few simple ingredients: wild fennel; red onion; anchovies; and breadcrumbs (muddica), all tossed together with spaghetti are all you need to create this flavorful Sicilian pasta dish in just over 30 minutes!
I had the opportunity to prepare this wild fennel pasta for my relatives during a recent trip to Sicily. Preparing simple meals with local ingredients is so easy to do in Sicily!
Wild fennel grows plentiful in the fields surrounding my home; the local bread man delivers fresh bread each morning to my door and the vegetable vendor shows up early (sometimes too early!) with freshly picked, seasonal vegetables grown in a field less than one kilometer away. It doesn't get any easier than this!
Wild Fennel vs Fennel
In Sicily, wild fennel or finocchietto selvatico grows everywhere! In fields, on road sides and even in a crack on a wall. You'll be sure to find an abundance of this aromatic herb during the spring and summer months.
Wild fennel does not produce a bulb and has an anise like flavor. This is one of the key ingredients in Sicilian pasta with sardines. Tender wild fennel (as shown above) does not require boiling. I simply gave it a thorough rinse, chopped it and added it directly to my pan.
On the other hand, cultivated fennel produces an edible white bulb that is delicious in recipes such as orange and fennel salad; risotto; and roasted fennel.
Wild Fennel Substitute
Unfortunately wild fennel is not available here in Canada. I have read that it is found in warmer climates such as California and Australia. If you happen to have access to it where you live, please let me know!
Although the flavor is not quite the same, in a pinch I would definitely use the fronds of a of fennel bulb instead. Look for fennel with extra long fronds if available. You will probably need at least 3 or 4 fennel bulbs to gather the sufficient amount of fronds necessary to prepare this recipe.
Ingredient List
- Wild fennel: thoroughly rinsed, tough stems removed and roughly chopped
- One onion: red or white onion or replace with 2 cloves garlic if you prefer
- Anchovy fillets: I used oil packed anchovies
- Fresh breadcrumbs: from the crust of day old bread, coarsely grated
- Spaghetti
- Olive oil
- Salt
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions
- Prepare the crispy breadcrumbs by removing the crusts from stale bread. Process in your food processor until coarsely ground or grate using a box grater.
- Place in a hot skillet over medium heat and toast, stirring constantly, until lightly browned and fragrant.
- Pour in 3 tbsp. of olive oil and sauté until crisp and golden.
- Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, until softened.
- Stir in the anchovies and use the back of a wooden spoon to bread up the anchovies into small pieces until they melt into the onion/oil mixture.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for 1-2 minutes less than the suggested cooking time or until very al dente.
- Add the fennel, reserving about ⅓ for garnishing when serving. Stir until it begins to wilt. Taste and add salt, as needed. Do not add too much salt as the anchovies do contain a fair amount.
- Add a ladle or two of pasta cooking water to the fennel.
- Drain the pasta, reserving come of the cooking water, and add to the skillet with the fennel mixture. Stir to coat the pasta with the sauce. If needed, add the reserved cooking water if the pasta is too dry.
- Stir in half of the crispy breadcrumbs and drizzle with a little extra olive oil.
- Serve and top with the reserved fennel and breadcrumbs to garnish.
Recipe Notes
Although the flavor is not quite the same, in a pinch wild fennel can be substituted with the fronds of a bulb of fennel.
-If you prefer, try replacing the onion with 2 minced cloves of garlic.
-Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the onion for spicy flavor.
Once melted into the onion mixture, the flavor of the anchovies is not very pronounced in the final dish. The anchovies add a rich umami flavor. However, for a vegetarian version of this recipe or for those who dislike anchovies, they may be omitted.
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below!
*****
Check out more easy and delicious Sicilian pasta recipes!
- Pasta ca' Muddica
- Sicilian Pasta with Sardines (pasta con le sarde)
- Sicilian Pasta with Anchovies and Breadcrumbs
- Pasta with Ricotta
- Sicilian Pasta with Creamy Pistachio Sauce
- Pasta with Cauliflower
- Pistachio Pesto Shrimp Pasta
- Sicilian Cucuzza with Pasta
Wild Fennel Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 grams spaghetti
- 6-7 tbsp. olive oil divided
- ¾ cups fresh breadcrumbs
- 4 anchovy fillets I used oil packed
- 1 small onion red or yellow onion
- 100 grams wild fennel rinsed well, tough stems removed and roughly chopped
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the crispy breadcrumbs by removing the crusts from stale bread. Process in your food processor until coarsely ground or grate using a box grater. If you make more crumbs than required for this recipe, you may freeze the excess for another use.
- Place the crumbs in a hot skillet over medium heat and toast, stirring constantly, until lightly browned and fragrant. Pour in 3 tbsp. of olive oil and sauté until crisp and golden. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat 3 tbsps. olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, until softened.
- Stir in the anchovies and use the back of a wooden spoon to bread up the anchovies into small pieces until they melt into the onion/oil mixture.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for 1-2 minutes less than the suggested cooking time or until very al dente.
- Add the fennel to the pan with the onion/anchovies, reserving about ⅓ for garnishing when serving. Stir until it begins to wilt.
- Taste and add salt, as needed. Do not add too much salt as the anchovies do contain a fair amount. Add a ladle or 2 of pasta cooking water to the fennel.
- Drain the pasta, reserving come of the cooking water, and add to the skillet with the fennel mixture. Stir to coat the pasta with the sauce. If needed, add the reserved cooking water if the pasta is too dry.
- Stir in half of the crispy breadcrumbs and drizzle with a little extra olive oil. Serve and top with the remaining breadcrumbs and fennel to garnish.
Nadia Fazio
This wild fennel is so tasty, and it grows everywhere in Sicily. If you are travelling there do look out for it, this easy recipe is worth trying!