Preserved Lemon and Fennel Pasta

With just a handful of pantry items you can have a delicious gourmet dinner on the table in 15 minutes. This is sorta my most famous recipe that I make all of the time both for our family and for guests. What I love about it is that it's very versatile. The basic recipe is amazing on it's own and served with a side salad

but you can dress it up with whatever you have on hand like greens, smoked salmon, sunny side up egg, or some fennel sausage. At my house this is a last minute dinner at least once a month.

About Preserved Lemon

Preserved lemons are very easy to create, especially if you have a Sous Vide, and they are one of my absolute favorite ingredients to cook with. They add delicious layers of acid, salt and a bit of fermented funk to everything from salad dressings to pasta. All it takes is lemon, salt and time to create this delicious ingredient. I keep a jar of preserved lemons from Villa Jerada handy for when I my supply has run low or I'm looking for something more authentic. 

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of good artisanal pasta like Etto
• 1/4 cup EVOO (We suggest Seka Hills Arbequina)
• 1 teaspoon Brown Fennel Seeds 
• 1/4 teaspoon (or more) Merquen Chili 
• 1 preserved lemon cut in half and thinly sliced * note if you are using home made preserved lemon use just the yellow part of the peel. I using from Villa Jerada you can use the entire lemon. 
• Sea Salt
• Optional Additions - Smoked salmon, chard, sunny side up egg

Directions:

1. Drop the pasta in salted boiling water and set the timer for 9 minutes (or 1 minute less than the time for al dente with the brand you are using).
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until the oil shimmers.
3. Sprinkle the fennel and chili in the pan for 30 seconds until it becomes fragrant.
4. Add the sliced preserved lemon and saute for a couple of minutes.
5. Drain the pasta and add directly to the skillet and toss to coat.  If adding chard or salmon add that now and saute until the chard wilts.
6. Serve immediately.