Fennel & Salami Picante Pasta is my second recipe in my fennel series and an easy one at that.  It takes only two ingredients to season this—salt and pepper!  Its a perfect and quick midweek meal.

Fennel & Salami Picante Pasta Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into rounds
• a handful of spaghetti noodles (Italian brand preferred)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2-2 cups cooking cream depending on how much sauce you prefer
• 1 pack (200 grams) salami picante (spicy salami) or as they have in Santis, Spanish salami hot.
• salt and white pepper to taste

PROCEDURE

Boil noodles per package instructions in a pot.  Then, in another shallow sauce pan, sauté fennel in olive oil till slightly wilted.  Add cream, salt and  white pepper till you achieve your desired taste.  Simmer for a minute and set aside.  In a separate pan, heat very little oil and fry salami to a crisp, slightly toasted but not burnt.  Make sure there is space between each round.  Overcrowding the salami will cause it to be gooey and not crunchy.  Drain the salami in a plate with paper towels as you take each piece out of the pan.  When noodles are done (remember never to overcook your noodles) drain.  Add noodles to fennel cream and toss quickly.  Transfer to a serving dish and top with crumbled salami.  There you have it!  Easy as 1-2-3.

I am really OC when it comes to my pasta dishes.  I like to serve it immediately because that’s just how pasta is designed.  The Italians are adamant that pasta is not meant to sit but to be gobbled up quickly.