Martha Stewart Martha’s Pasta With Grilled Sardines and Bitter Greens, easy for weeknights, tosses bucatini with sardines seared on a grill pan. Caramelized shallots mellow the dandelion greens and frisée for a family dinner finished with lemon zest and Parmesan.
Chicken stock simmers the greens until silky, so every bite of pasta carries their flavor right into the sauce. Brown the shallots slowly, because their sweetness is what keeps the bitter greens from taking over.
Martha Stewart Martha’s Pasta With Grilled Sardines and Bitter Greens
Course: DinnerCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Medium6
servings20
minutes30
minutes555
kcalFlaked sardines right off the grill pan, tossed into bucatini with wilted dandelion greens and frisée in a shallot-sweetened broth, brightened with fresh lemon zest and grated Parmesan.
Ingredients
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling and serving
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium shallots, cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices
Pinch of crushed red-pepper flakes
2 bunches dandelion greens, trimmed and roughly chopped (about 8 cups packed)
2 heads frisee, trimmed and roughly chopped (about 8 cups packed)
1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade or low-sodium canned broth
1 1/4 pounds sardines (about 8), 6 to 7 inches in length, cleaned
Zest of one lemon, plus more for serving, plus the juice of 1/2 lemon
1 pound bucatini pasta
1 1/2 cups Parmigiano-Reggiano
Directions
- Boil the water: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
- Cook the shallots: Heat oil and butter in a large, heavy, straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring, until well browned, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; continue to cook, stirring occasionally until very soft, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and red-pepper flakes.
- Wilt the dandelion greens: Add dandelion greens and saute until just beginning to wilt, about 3 minutes.
- Add the frisée: Add frisée and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes.
- Simmer in broth: Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until greens are tender.
- Grill the sardines: Heat grill pan over medium-high heat and brush with oil. Drizzle sardines with lemon juice. Season sardines with salt and pepper. Cook 3 minutes per side.
- Fillet the sardines: Transfer to a cutting board. Fillet the sardines, discarding bones; set aside.
- Cook the pasta: Add pasta to boiling water until al dente, then drain, reserving some of the cooking water.
- Toss everything together: Add pasta to the greens mixture and gently stir in lemon zest, parmesan, and sardine fillets. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in enough of the reserved cooking water to form a sauce. Serve immediately with additional lemon zest, cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil.
FAQs
What kind of sardines work best for this recipe?
Look for whole fresh sardines, 6 to 7 inches long, at a fish counter or Mediterranean market. The bones slip out easily after grilling, so you do not need to fillet them first. If your store only carries smaller sardines, use about 12 instead of 8 to reach the same 1 1/4 pounds.
Can I use a different pasta instead of bucatini?
Spaghetti or linguine both work since they hold the sauce the same way. The hollow center of bucatini traps more of the brothy greens, so if you swap, add a splash of extra pasta water to keep things saucy. Skip short shapes like penne, because the sardine flakes and wilted greens cling better to long strands.
How do I store leftover sardine pasta?
Keep it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days, but place the sardine pieces on top rather than mixed in, since they break apart more during reheating. Warm it in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of chicken stock to bring the sauce back. This pasta does not freeze well because the greens and sardines turn mushy after thawing.
What can I use instead of dandelion greens?
Escarole, mustard greens, or broccoli rabe all bring the same bitterness the dish relies on. Use about 8 cups chopped, since the greens cook down to almost nothing. Keep the frisée alongside your substitute, because it adds a lighter texture that balances the heavier cooked greens.
Do I have to fillet the sardines myself?
Ask your fishmonger to clean and gut them, but save the filleting for after you grill. The bones pull away in one piece once the fish is cooked through, so a small paring knife run along the spine is all you need. Grilling them whole also keeps the flesh intact and stops it from falling through the grates.
