I can’t believe it’s almost May. In a few days, I’ll officially begin my quest to visit 32 new places by the end of the year. Stay tuned for progress updates.
For now, I have three recent “discoveries” to share with you:
- There’s a brood of six ducklings in the neighborhood! And like last spring, I’ve gotten into the habit of checking in on them every morning and afternoon. It’s so fun watching them dart around in the water and scavenge for food. 🙂
- Vaccine appointments are available in the Bay Area! I’ve been scouring various websites for openings since April 15, with no luck, and finally booked a slot thanks to a tip from a friend. If all goes as planned, I’ll be getting the first dose next Friday.
- Rigatoni with fennel and anchovies is unexpectedly amazing! The recipe calls for a short list of seemingly random ingredients that create magic when combined. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, please.
What’s happening in your neck of the woods? Let me know in a comment below.
Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit.
Rigatoni with Fennel and Anchovies
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for finish
- 2 fennel bulbs, cut into ½"-thick wedges
- kosher salt, to taste
- 3 anchovy fillets in oil, removed from oil
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon dried chili flakes
- ¼ cup fresh lemon balm or mint, plus more for serving
- finely grated zest of ½ lemon
- finely grated zest of ½ orange
- 8 ounces rigatoni
- ¾ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over high heat. Add fennel, season with salt and cook, without stirring, until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir fennel. Cook, without stirring, for another 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Add anchovies, garlic, chili flakes and lemon balm and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add lemon zest and orange zest and stir to combine. Cover with a lid to keep warm.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than al dente according to package directions. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked pasta to pot with sauce.
- Add three-quarters of the Pecorino Romano cheese and ¾ cup reserved cooking liquid to pot and stir to combine. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the liquid has thickened, about 2 minutes. If necessary, add additional cooking liquid to loosen the sauce. Drizzle with olive oil and top with remaining Pecorino Romano cheese and additional lemon balm.
You had me at fennel and anchovies. 🙂 Rigatoni was a nice bonus.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!