PASTA COI FINOCCHIETTI

This is another of Gina's wonderful pasta recipes and the method is similar to the one used for her pasta con i broccoli. Note that the word finocchietto [not finocchio] is used, as it is essential to obtain wild fennel for this recipe:

Use the stems only of a good bunch of wild fennel. Clean them well and boil them with seasalt to taste. Meanwhile, make a soffrito by softening a little chopped garlic in olive oil. When the fennel is ready, drain it but reserve the water. Cut the fennel into pieces. Put it into the soffrito with a little tomato paste and, if you wish, 3 - 4 anchovy fillets. Add a little of the fennel water and cook for about 10 minutes. Cook the pasta in the rest of the fennel water, drain and mix with the fennel. Do not sprinkle cheese on top; instead, sprinkle on some breadcrumbs which you have browned in a little olive oil [you can prepare these beforehand].

This is Gina's version of pasta alla palermitana, to which sardines are added.