Fresh Linguine Pasta with Roasted Fennel & Garlic Breadcrumbs

By Foodiewife

Tonight’s pasta dish marries the flavors of citrusy lemon with aromatic
fennel for bright, delicious results. To bring out its subtle sweetness,
we’re roasting the fennel before tossing it with fresh linguine and our
lemony sauce. Castelvetrano olives (a buttery Italian variety) add pops of
briny fl avor, while a garnish of pan-toasted breadcrumbs creates a layer
of satisfying crunch. Cool ricotta cheese—combined with a classic
touch of lemon juice—provides a bit of creaminess to bring it all together.

Ingredients

• Fresh Linguine Pasta
• Ingredients
• 1/2 Pound Fresh Linguine Pasta
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• 1 Fennel Bulb
• 1 Lemon
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 Ounce Castelvetrano Olives
• 1/2 Cup Part-Skim Ricotta Cheese
• 1/4 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs

Details

Adapted from blueapron.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a
medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Cut off and discard
any fennel stems. Halve the fennel bulb lengthwise; cut out and
discard the core, then thinly slice. Using a peeler, remove the
yellow lemon rind, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get
2 teaspoons of zest (or use a zester). Quarter and deseed the
lemon. Peel and mince the garlic. Using the flat side of your knife,
smash the olives; remove and discard the pits, then roughly chop.

Place the fennel on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season
with salt and pepper; toss to thoroughly coat. Arrange in a single,
even layer and roast, stirring halfway through, 18 to 20 minutes, or
until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove
from the oven.

Once the fennel has roasted for about 10 minutes, in a large, high-
sided pan, heat the butter on medium until melted. Add the garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds
to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the breadcrumbs ; cook, stirring
frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until browned. Transfer to a
paper towel-lined plate; immediately season with salt and pepper.

While the fennel continues to roast, wipe out the pan used to toast
the breadcrumbs. In the same pan, combine the lemon zest, the juice of 1 lemon wedge, ½ cup of water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, turn off the heat and whisk to thoroughly combine.

While the fennel continues to roast, carefully separate the strands of
the pasta and add to the pot of boiling water. Cook 3 to 5 minutes,
or until just shy of al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Reserving
½ cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly; transfer to the pan of
sauce. Add the roasted fennel and half the reserved pasta water. Cook on medium-high, stirring vigorously, 2 to 4 minutes, or until the pasta is coated. (If the sauce seems dry, gradually add the remaining pasta water to achieve your desired consistency.) Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a bowl, combine the ricotta and the juice of the remaining lemon wedges; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the finished pasta between 2 dishes. Top with spoonfuls of the lemon ricotta. Garnish with the
olives and garlic breadcrumbs.