Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • ¼ pound meaty pancetta
  • finely chopped (optional–omit for vegetarian preparation)
  • 2 tablespoons butter 
  • 1 small fennel 
  • trimmed
  •  cored and finely chopped
  • 1 small onion
  • finely chopped
  • Salt
  • 4 large cloves garlic
  • crushed and finely chopped
  • 1 round tablespoon flour
  • 1 lemon
  • ½ cup vodka
  • 1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper (spicier) or white pepper (milder) 
  • ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 pound tagliatelle
  • fettuccine
  • spaghetti or chitarra
  • 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • A handful  of basil  leaves
  • torn 

Instruction

  • Heat a pot of water to boil for pasta
  •    Heat EVOO in a heavy pot over medium heat, add pancetta and render if using, melt butter into pan, then add fennel and onion and a little salt, soften to very tender, add garlic and stir a minute, add flour, stir, add zest of 1 lemon and vodka, reduce by half
  • Add half-and-half or cream, pepper of choice, nutmeg and reduce heat to low, simmer to thicken a bit
  •     Cook pasta in salted water 1 minute less than package directions
  •  Add lemon juice to sauce
  •  Reserve ½ cup pasta water
  •  Toss pasta with sauce and cheese and use the water as needed to keep sauce loose but creamy, then wilt in basil
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