5-Ingredient Sardine Pasta

01Method

1. 1

   Fill a large pot with water, salt it generously, and bring to a boil over high heat.

2. 2

   While waiting for the water to boil, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir occasionally until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes and capers, season with salt and pepper, then raise the heat to medium-high until the mixture reaches a simmer. Lower the heat back to medium-low and let the sauce cook, stirring now and then, until noticeably thickened, about 15 minutes.

3. 3

   Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook until 1 minute shy of the al dente time on the package. Before draining, set aside about 1 cup of the starchy cooking water, then drain the pasta.

4. 4

   Transfer the drained pasta and sardines into the skillet with the tomato sauce and toss everything together, breaking the sardines into pieces as you go. Splash in some of the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Continue tossing for about 1 minute until the pasta is fully coated and al dente. Serve immediately, topped with fresh basil or parsley if desired.