Once again, this weekend didn’t go as planned. I was eager to head to the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market Saturday morning to purchase some heirloom tomatoes from Lonely Mountain Farm, among other things.
But I ended up rushing Rookie to an emergency clinic at 8 a.m., after I noticed she wouldn’t put weight on her back right leg. Fortunately, an X-ray showed no fractures and the vet confirmed she just took a hard fall. We were sent home with two types of pain meds and a hefty bill.
While Rookie was woozy, I prepared a batch of pasta with chicken ragù, fennel and peas. It takes about two hours to make, but the finished product is delicious. That’s because the dish features so many good ingredients, like:
- Bacon and Cornish chicken from Belcampo
- Fresh produce and herbs from Cal-Organic Farms, Blue House Farm and Jacobs Farm Del Cabo
- Pastificio Gentile mezze paccheri (a great shape for trapping sauce)
Pasta with chicken ragù, fennel and peas is the perfect recipe to help transition from summer to fall. It’s light yet comforting, and fitting for a special occasion or casual night in with your canine or human friends.
Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into lardons
- 1 pound skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
- sea salt, to taste
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 2 small fennel bulbs, diced (reserve fronds)
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 12 ounces mezze paccheri or other short pasta
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until fat renders, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon from pot and set aside on paper towels to drain.
- Remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat from pot. Increase heat to medium-high. Season chicken with salt and place skin side down in the pot. Cook until golden brown without turning, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat from pot. Add onion and fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6-8 minutes. Add thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add wine and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
- Nestle the seared chicken, skin side up, in the pot and scatter the prepared bacon on top. Fill pot with just enough water to cover the chicken and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover partially and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 45-60 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and let cool slightly. Discard the skin and bones and shred chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Add milk to pot and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced by half, 8-12 minutes.
- Add shredded chicken and peas and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
- Add cooked pasta, ½ cup reserved cooking liquid, butter and Parmesan cheese to pot with ragù and stir to combine. If necessary, add some of the reserved cooking liquid to loosen the sauce.
- Add parsley and stir to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds and additional Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
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