Pasta with fennel

Pasta with fennel is a simple and light first course prepared with few ingredients. The crunchy touch of the bread makes the difference!

Autumn and more generally the cold season are marked by the appearance of fennel in the fruit and vegetable department. This ingredient, which has a licorice aftertaste when raw, becomes sweet and tender once cooked and is perfect for making a delicious pasta with fennel.

Just pasta and fennel? Not really: we thought we'd add just a couple of ingredients that go well with the flavor of this vegetable, in particular the olives and the grated lemon zest. To serve, instead of the traditional parmesan, we recommend opting for pan- toasted breadcrumbs . But let's see all the steps in detail.

How to prepare the pasta with fennel recipe

1. First clean the fennel by removing the stems and the hard central core. To do this, cut it in half then remove it with a V-shaped cut.
2. In a pan, heat the oil with a clove of garlic then add the very thinly sliced ​​fennel. You can help yourself with a mandolin. Add a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat until tender. It will take about ten minutes.
3. In the meantime , cook the pasta in plenty of salted water for the time indicated on the package.
4. Prepare the breadcrumbs by heating a spoonful of oil in a pan with the chilli pepper, lemon zest and a whole clove of garlic and let it brown for a few minutes. Then turn off and keep aside.
5. Once the pasta is ready, drain it and sauté it in the pan with the fennel, add the olives and distribute among the plates. Complete with a sprinkling of toasted breadcrumbs.

Another way to enjoy fennel, ideal if you are looking for an idea to serve it raw, is the fennel and orange salad : a combination of flavors that is nothing short of perfect.

storage

The pasta with fennel will keep in the refrigerator, closed in an airtight container, for 2-3 days. In this case the toasted breadcrumbs should be added after having heated them in the pan to appreciate the crunchy note it gives to the dish.