Supper is Golden!

Pasta Asciutta con Finocchio, Carota e Zenzero
Pasta with Fennel, Carrot & Ginger

I am not going to whine about it... but I had to work late again- sigh. Even on a Friday, when all I wanted to do was to get home, have a little supper and start enjoying the weekend. So once again it was time to come up with a quick and easy meal from the remnants of my fridge. But, suddenly filled with inspiration, I came up with an idea that would be ultra quick, easy... and tasty!

This was a tasty dish of pasta, so simple to make and from so few ingredients that it just goes to proves that you rarely have too little and that is rarer-still late... where there's a will, there's usually also a way!

Can you believe that it took but a slice or two of fennel, a half of a carrot and some ginger, garlic and onion to make a full meal? Well, you had better believe it- and I am sure you will as soon as I tell you how!

First, obviously, I started my pasta boiling, as the dressing would not take any more than 10 minutes to prepare. To do that, I sliced and diced the fennel, peeled and finely grated the carrot and a 1" slice of ginger, crushed and chopped a clove of garlic and finely chopped a shallot, which was the first thing I popped into a hot frying pan with a little olive oil. As soon as the onion became transparent, I added the other ingredients, stirred them together well and let them fry for 2-3 minutes until everything became nicely soft and juicy. 

I then added a teaspoon of turmeric, a pinch of cayenne, a little nutmeg, salt, pepper and some finely chopped rosemary... and soon enough, the kitchen was filled with a wonderful aroma! Thank goodness that the pasta was almost ready by now! I drained it of most of the water and added it to the carrot and fennel mix in the frying pan, stirred it all together and let it simmer down and finish cooking in all of the flavors of the fennel, carrot and spice... mmmm! So delicious!

I added a generous handful of fresh parsley, a little freshly grated nutmeg, a tiny squeeze of lemon and an extra drop of olive oil and tossed everything together so that it became silky smooth, refreshing and of course a wonderful golden yellow color. With a sprinkle of chili flakes and a rosemary garnish, I had finished my simple but tasty supper in next to no time... and I don't just mean the preparation... but also the eating! A great change to the usual tomato or cream sauce- healthy, tasty and fun! Buon apetito!