Farfalle With Fennel And Pine Nuts
- 20m Prep Time
- 30m Cook Time
- 50m Ready In
A vegetarian pasta dish featuring farfalle with sautéed fennel, raisins, pine nuts, and a mix of cheeses. The fennel is cooked until tender with cinnamon and raisins, then tossed with pasta, Parmesan, tomatoes, artichokes, and goat cheese.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 1/2 lbs fennel bulb
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 3/4 lbs farfalle (bow tie pasta)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- 1 cup chopped canned artichokes (not marinated) chopped
- 1 cup crumbled goat cheese crumbled
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 11 of 13 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 258 mg
- Iron: 2.89 mg
- Magnesium: 74 mg
- Phosphorus: 393 mg
- Potassium: 867 mg
- Zinc: 2.33 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 lbs fennel bulb
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 3/4 lbs farfalle (bow tie pasta)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Prepare
- Chop 1 medium onion
- Halve 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
- Chop 1 cup chopped canned artichokes (not marinated)
- 1 cup crumbled goat cheese, crumbled
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Spread the pine nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them; they should look just golden, not dark, as they will continue cooking after removal. Set aside to cool.
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Step 2.
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until it softens and begins to turn golden, about 5–7 minutes.
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Step 3.
While the onions are cooking, prepare the fennel: Cut off the green stems and fronds. Chop about 2 tablespoons of the fronds for garnish and set aside; discard the stems. Remove any blemished or tough outer layers from the bulb, trim a thin slice from the base, then cut the bulb in half lengthwise through the base. Lay each half cut side down and slice thinly crosswise.
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Step 4.
When the onions are softened and beginning to turn golden, add the sliced fennel, raisins, salt, cinnamon, and cold water to the pan. Stir to combine, then cover and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the fennel is tender.
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Step 5.
While the fennel mixture simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the farfalle and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water if needed.
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Step 6.
Add the hot drained pasta to the fennel mixture along with the toasted pine nuts. If using, stir in the grated Parmesan, halved tomatoes, chopped artichokes, or crumbled goat cheese. Toss everything together until well combined, adding a splash of pasta water if the mixture seems dry.
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Step 7.
Garnish with the reserved chopped fennel fronds and serve immediately. This dish pairs well with grilled chicken or shrimp.