Sicilian sardine pasta

Put the saffron in a glass, fill with hot water from the kettle and leave to steep; the day before gives a deep red liquid.

Strip the leaves from the fennel, discarding the stems and keeping the bulbs for another dish.

Boil the fennel leaves in unsalted water for five to ten minutes, five being enough, then lift them out and keep the water.

Chop the boiled fennel leaves.

Over medium-low heat, toast the pine nuts dry in a pan for a few minutes, then set aside.

Add one to two tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and toast the breadcrumbs, tossing, about five minutes. Parsley or chilli can be added to them.

Add four to five tablespoons of olive oil to a pan on medium-low.

Add the chopped red onion and the crushed garlic with a splash of water to stop them burning.

Add the anchovies and cook until they melt away into the base.

Add the tomato paste and another splash of water.

Add the chopped fennel leaves, then the sultanas, and cook briefly.

Add most of the saffron water.

Add the sardines and cook less than two minutes, moving them as little as possible so they do not break. Season lightly with salt and generously with pepper, then add the rest of the saffron.

Bring the reserved fennel water back to the boil, add a tablespoon of sea salt and cook the spaghetti; lift out a mug of pasta water two minutes before it is done.

Drain the spaghetti al dente into the sauce with a little pasta water and the toasted pine nuts, and toss gently.

Add more pasta water and toss again.

Finish with salt and a generous scatter of the toasted breadcrumbs over the top.