Linguine With Fennel Food

RIGATONI WITH SAUSAGE & FENNEL

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion and saute for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the sausage and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, crumbling it with a fork, until nicely browned. Add the garlic, crushed fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper and cook for one minute. Pour in the wine, bring to a boil, and add the heavy cream, half-and-half, and tomato paste. Bring back to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt, and cook the rigatoni according to the directions on the package. Drain and add to the sauce, stirring to coat the pasta. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Serve hot in shallow bowls with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan on the side.

GOOD FENNELS PASTA

Steps:

• Place a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. Salt water and add bucatini and cook to al dente.
• While water comes to boil and pasta cooks, make the sauce. Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan. Add sausage to the skillet and break up the sausage into small bits. Brown sausage all over then transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Return pan to heat and add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, the garlic, fennel, onions and peppers. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Cook, turning frequently, 7 to 8 minutes until tender but do not allow the fennel and onions to brown ¿ reduce heat a bit if they begin to. Add the wine or stock next and reduce 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and the sausage. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until pasta is done.
• Drain the pasta very well and add to the sauce. Sprinkle the pasta with 1/2 cup cheese, a couple of handfuls, then toss pasta with thick sauce to combine. Transfer pasta to a large shallow platter and cover with the pasta with basil leaves. Serve with extra cheese and pass crusty bread at the table to mop up the plates.

PASTA WITH FENNEL AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Trim fennel bulbs, cut in half lengthwise, and remove tough cores. Thinly slice fennel bulb halves lengthwise. Peel onions, slice in half lengthwise, and thinly slice onions lengthwise.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir fennel and onions until onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Pour in white wine, turn heat up to medium-high, and cook, stirring often, until the wine has nearly evaporated and fennel and onions begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook the linguine at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes; drain and keep warm. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water.
• Stir tomatoes into the fennel mixture and cook until the tomatoes soften, about 3 minutes. Mix lemon juice and pine nuts into the vegetables.
• Stir linguine into the fennel mixture and mix in reserved pasta water. Cook pasta and vegetables over high heat, stirring until hot and thoroughly combined, about 2 minutes. Serve in a large serving bowl topped with Parmesan cheese.

LINGUINE WITH CLAMS AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil in another large heavy pot over medium heat. Add chopped fennel and garlic; cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned, 2-3 minutes. Add wine, then clams. Increase heat to high. Cover and cook until clams open, 4-7 minutes, depending on size of clams. As clams open, use tongs to transfer them to a large bowl (discard any that do not open).
• Add 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking liquid to clam juices in pot; bring to a boil. Add pasta to pot. Cook over high heat, tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente and has soaked up some of the sauce, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add clams with any juices from bowl and 2 tablespoons fennel fronds; toss to combine, adding more pasta liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry.
• Divide among bowls. Drizzle with oil; garnish with fennel fronds and fennel pollen.