Fresh Tagliatelle with Fennel Caper Sauce
Delicate pasta dish combining tender fennel and briny capers in a light cream sauce brightened with fresh lemon. Yellow onions are softened with fennel strips, simmered in vegetable broth, then finished with fresh cheese and zest. Quick-cooking fresh tagliatelle absorbs the aromatic sauce, garnished with feathery fennel fronds for textural contrast.
Ingredients
- salt, none
- 1 none yellow onion, halved peeled finely diced
- 2 none fennel bulb, washed cored cut into thin strips with fronds reserved
- 1 none lemon, washed zested halved juiced
- 2 tablespoon capers, drained patted dry
- 2 tablespoon oil, none
- 14 tbsp vegetable broth, none
- 1 lb fresh tagliatelle, nonedried tagliatelle1:0.5pasta
increase cooking time to 8-10 minutes
- 1 ¼ cups fresh cheese, plain
- black pepper, ground
Instructions
- 1
Bring approximately 5 liters salted water to boil in a pot
- 2
Halve, peel, and finely dice yellow onions
- 3
Wash fennel, pluck fronds and set aside, halve bulbs, remove core, and cut into very thin strips; finely chop reserved fronds
- 4
Wash lemon, zest approximately 1 teaspoon, halve, and squeeze juice
- 5
Drain and pat capers dry
- 6
Heat oil over medium heat in a pan and sauté fennel with onion for approximately 4 minutes
- 7
Pour vegetable broth into pan and simmer for approximately 4 minutes
- 8
Cook fresh tagliatelle in boiling salted water for approximately 5 minutes until al dente and drain
- 9
Stir capers and fresh cheese into fennel, remove pan from heat, and season sauce with lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste
- 10
Add drained tagliatelle to sauce and toss to combine
- 11
Distribute pasta onto plates and garnish with chopped fennel fronds
Tips
Reserve 1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds before cooking for fresher garnish with better color
Do not overcook fresh tagliatelle; begin checking at 4 minutes to prevent mushiness
Good to Know
Refrigerate leftover pasta in airtight container up to 2 days; do not freeze due to cream sauce texture
Prepare fennel, onions, and lemon zest up to 4 hours ahead; store in separate containers. Cook pasta fresh to order
Serve immediately after tossing while sauce is warm and pasta is hot
Common Mistakes
Do not overcook fennel beyond 4 minutes simmered total to avoid mushy texture
Do not add fresh cheese to boiling broth to avoid curdling; remove from heat first
Do not skip lemon zest; without it the sauce lacks brightness
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
increase cooking time to 8-10 minutes