Spaghetti with Fennel, Salamie and Tomatoes

prep time:: 30 min

Makes 4

This recipe is taken from Jamie Oliver’s Happy Days & I like the combination of fennel and salami, very nice indeed! Steven loved the spaghetti despite the fact that the salami was a tad too spicy for him. I was totally blown away by this, it tasted so good!! I have never eaten fennel and salami before, I really like the combination. The breadcrumbs give this hearty pasta a different texture and the fennels make it a little fresher and more delicate!! Try it; I am sure u will love it too!!

ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil
140g good spicy ltalian salami, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 bulb fennel, halved and finely sliced, feathery tops reserved and chopped
2 x 400g tins of plum tomatoes
Optional: 1 dried chili, crumbled
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
455g dried spaghetti or linguine
2 handfuls of stale breadcrumbs
Optional: a sprig of fresh rosemary

directions

1
Pour 2 good lugs of olive oil into a pan. Add your salami and your sliced garlic. Lightly crack the fennel seeds either in a pestle and mortar or with a knife and add to the pan. Cook for 1 minute on a low heat – the fat should cook out of the salami and it should begin to get crisp. Add your sliced fennel and stir, then put the lid on the pan and increase the heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes, then add your tinned tomatoes and even a little dried chili if you like. Cook slowly for 25 minutes until the mixture has thickened. Season to taste.
2
Cook your pasta in a large pot of fast boiling salted water until al dente. While it’s cooking, make some crunchy breadcrumbs, to give this dish a great texture and crunch. Just get a couple of good handfuls of coarse breadcrumbs and fry them with 4 or 5 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil until they go crispy. Throw in some rosemary sprigs as well to give extra flavor. When your pasta is cooked, drain it in a colander and immediately toss it with your lovely tomato sauce. Serve in a big bowl and sprinkle with the green fennel tops and your crispy breadcrumbs

Source: Jamie Oliver