- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, cut into matchstick-size strips
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large fennel bulbs, fronds chopped, bulbs cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1/8 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 pound fettuccine
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add pancetta and garlic; sauté until garlic is pale golden, about 4 minutes. Stir in 1/3 cup chopped fennel fronds, fennel wedges, fennel seeds and crushed red pepper. Cover and cook until fennel wedges are soft, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add cream; cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook fettuccine in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Toss pasta with fennel mixture and enough reserved cooking water to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing Parmesan cheese separately.