Recipes for Meatless Fridays: Spanish Sardines Pasta

It's Friday once more and the second Friday of Lent.  Have you decided what to cook today?  Here's what's cooking in our kitchen.

 

 

It's another quick, easy and budget-friendly recipe you can try.  This one is based on one of my favorite foods - Spanish sardines.  I like making sandwich spreads from Spanish sardines.  I also like having it as viand when I'm too lazy or tired to whip up anything in the kitchen.  Thus, it's no surprise that I love it with my pasta, too.

 

 

My birthday usually falls within the season of Lent or during Holy Week.  Thus, pastas with seafood are what we usually prepare to celebrate my special day.  You need not worry if your birthday or the birthday of one of your family members falls on a Friday this Lent.  This recipe is an example of a yummy pasta you can prepare to celebrate your special day and still abstain from meat.

Below is my recipe:

Spanish Sardines Pasta


Ingredients:

your choice of pasta pasta (cooked according to package instructions)
1 bottle of Spanish sardines or 2 (155g) cans of Spanish sardines (I like it hot and spicy.)
3 T of olive oil
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium sized onion, chopped
1 small bottle of sun-dried tomatoes (I'll update this post next time when I'm sure of the exact size of the bottle I use.)
a dash of basil or fresh basil leaves roughly chopped
salt and pepper to taste
grated Parmesan cheese
chopped parsley and chili flakes (optional)

Procedure:

1. Drain the Spanish sardines of oil.
2. Saute the onions in olive oil until transparent.
3. Add the garlic and saute until golden brown.
4. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and saute for 2-3 minutes.
5. Mix in the Spanish sardines and slightly flake as you saute it.
6. Add a dash of basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve hot on top of cooked pasta.
8. Top with grated cheese and chopped parsley.
9. You may sprinkle chili flakes if you want it extra hot and spicy.

There are times when I find it difficult to find sun-dried tomatoes in the grocery stores.  When this happens, I substitute it with big, ripe fresh tomatoes around 8-10 pieces and saute them in oilive oil


This much sauce is usually good for 400-500 grams of cooked pasta.  I use spaghetti most of the time.

 

 

Good luck and enjoy your lunch/dinner!