Sicilian-Style Pasta

Rinse fennel, reserving green tops. Halve bulbs, then thinly slice. Peel and finely chop 2 of the garlic cloves. Peel the onions and slice thinly.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add fennel, onions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, juice orange and lemon. Season fennel mixture with salt and pepper. Add raisins, saffron, and orange and lemon juices. Continue cooking, covered, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain in a sieve and rinse with cold water. Halve remaining garlic clove. Rub a large baking dish (16 x 10 inches) with garlic, then lightly coat with olive oil. Transfer spaghetti to baking dish.

Finely chop pine nuts. In a small bowl, mix together breadcrumbs, pine nuts and a few drops of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Rinse sardines, pat dry and season lightly with salt inside and out. Dredge lightly in flour, tapping off excess. Heat remaining olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry the sardines about 2 minutes per side.

Layer the fennel and onion mixture evenly over the spaghetti.

Lay the sardines on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top, and top with small pieces of butter. Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for about 12 minutes.