Fennel-Tomato Linguine With Pecorino Ginepro

Category: Main Dishes | Blog URL: http://fightthefatfoodie.blogspot.com/2010/01/fennel-tomato-linguine.html

This recipe was entered in The Foodista Best of Food Blogs Cookbook contest, a compilation of the world’s best food blogs which was published in Fall 2010.

Photo: Scott Koeneman

Ingredients

8 ounces turkey Italian sausage, casing removed

2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

4 gloves garlic, minced

2 jalapeno peppers, seeds and stems removed, minced (more if you're like me and wa

2 large fennel bulbs, stalks removed, cut into thin wedges (about 16)

2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

4 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped, divided

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed fennel seed (you get the most flavor if you buy them whole and crush them yourself)

1 pound whole wheat linguine

1 cup grated Pecorino Ginepro (you can use Pecorino Romano or Parm

Preparation

In a large skillet, saute and break up Italian sausage in 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium-high heat until browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towel and set aside.

In the same skillet, add garlic and jalapeno, saute for about 1 minute. Add fennel and saute until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes.

Add broth, tomatoes, lemon juice, oregano and half the parsley. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer until the fennel is tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions. Two minutes before al dente, remove from heat and strain, but do not rinse, set aside.

When the fennel is tender, pour mixture into pasta pot, add pasta and sausage and continue to cook until linguine is al dente and has soaked up much of the sauce, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Plate pasta and top with cheese and remaining parsley.

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About

Regular readers know that I'm a huge fennel fanatic. I love the anise-like flavor. Did you know that fennel grows as a weed in Sicily? That's one reason you see so much of it in Italian cooking, it's easy to find and use in a country that is still relatively poor.

Now is a great time to get good fennel at a great price. That's probably why I've been seeing a lot of fennel recipes floating around recently, including a feature in January's Bon Appetit. I was looking for something that would showcase the fennel and how well it combines with other flavors. In the end, I decided to go with a take on my primavera.

I was in San Francisco last month for work and visited the Ferry Building for some gourmet shopping and lunch at the Slanted Door. While there, I visited the Cowgirl Creamery and was awed by it's great selection of cheeses.

I picked up some incredible Pecorino Ginepro on the recommendation of one of the cheese experts there. I thought this would be the perfect dish to use it with. The nutty flavor is not quite as strong as a goat cheese, but is creamier than Parmesan. It complimented instead of overwhelming or being overwhelmed by the fennel.

This dish works out to 407 calories with 11 grams of fat and 4 grams fiber. That works out to 8 points for my Weight Watchers friends.

Let's eat!