Pasta "da Sola" 

I should have known better that Luigi would not make it home for lunch on Saturday. It is Easter weekend and he does sell fish. Still with great “speranza” in my heart and stomach, I headed out to the pescheria for some fresh fish (Lui sells flash frozen and always forgets to “bring home the bacon” let’s say, hence the reason for me BUYING fish!).

After my unforgettable meal at Lo Scudiero in palermo which started with grilled “neo-nato”, I decided to give my culinary skills a try with those delectable little fish (and I do mean little!).

"Neo-nato", otherwise, know as "Bianchetti", are are the spawn of sardines or anchovies. They can be fished only during certain and limited times of the year so as not to endanger the fish population (and it is the season). What I love about them, besides being full of flavor, is their diversity in the kitchen: you can serve them cold marinated, you can fry them into little fish balls, you can grilled them like an omelette (they stick together naturally) or saute them and add to pasta - which is what I decided to do. The recipe is very simple:

• Olive oil
  
• 1 clove of garlic
  
• 1/3 minced onion
  
• Italian parsley minced
  
• peperoncino
  
• salt to taste (although rarely necessary)
  
• 300 grams of bianchetti
  
• Dry white wine
• Your pasta of choice (I like it with whole wheat spaghetti)

Boil water and get the pasta going.

Mince all the ingredients (besides the fish of course!).

Saute the minced mixture in olive oil for about 2 minutes.

Add the bianchetti and let them saute without turning for about 2 minutes.

Flip the bianchetti to saute the other side for another 1 minutes.

Add a big splash of white wine, then mix up the ingredients while continuing to saute for another 2-3 minutes until the bianchetti have turned a greyish white and opaque.

Drain the pasta and add it to the fish.

Mix well and serve.

Bowl courtesy of the ever creative Diana Baur.

It was more than I could eat (having planned for Lui too), but I devoured as much as I could then presented Lulu with a little treat! :)

*Note: you can use the same recipe with calamari, seppie, fresh anchovies or sardines.

BUONA PASQUA!!!