This pasta dish is exactly what I want out of a spring midweek dinner — 20 minutes to prepare, plenty of veges and minimal dishes. The fennel’s distinctive aniseed flavour mellows as it cooks and it complements the bitterness of the cavolo nero well. My fennel has turned into a bit of a forest — I’ve been picking the long fronds and having them in a vase in my kitchen. As with most pasta dishes, this one is greatly improved with the garnishing: good-quality flaky sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, a drizzle of good-quality extra virgin olive oil and a generous grating of fresh Parmesan. A few fennel fronds and some lemon zest really top this one off.
Ingredients
| 200 g | Fettuccine, or spaghetti (Main) |
| 2 Tbsp | Olive oil |
| ½ | Red onions, thinly sliced |
| 2 | Fennel bulbs, thinly sliced (Main) |
| 3 cloves | Garlic, finely chopped |
| 1 Tbsp | Butter |
| 1 pinch | Chilli flakes |
| 1 bunch | Cavolo nero, thickly sliced (Main) |
| 1 | Lemon, zest and juice |
Garnish
| 1 handful | Grated parmesan cheese |
| 1 serving | Fennel fronds |
| 1 splash | Extra virgin olive oil |
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Directions
- Cook pasta according to packet instructions, until al dente.
- In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil to a low heat. Add the onion and fennel and cook for about 5 minutes. Increase the heat and continue cooking, then add the garlic, butter and the chilli flakes. Rinse the cavolo nero and add to the pan. Cook for another 6-7 minutes.
- Turn heat down and drain the pasta. Add pasta to the frying pan and mix through the greens. Add lemon zest and juice, then garnish and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately.