Creamy Roasted Fennel Pasta

Meghan Morelli
serves 2 as main, 4 as side
Ingredients:

• 8 oz box of pasta, (our favorite is Banza Chickpea Rotini)
• reserve 2 cups cooking water
• 1 fennel bulb sliced into 1/2 inch pieces plus greens for garnish
• 1/4 cup capers chopped
• 1 cup soaked cashews
• 1 cup water
• 1 lemon (zested and juiced)
• 1 Tblsp fat, (butter, oil, ghee)
• 4 garlic cloves chopped
• 1/2 cup olives (our favorite are Kalamata) chopped
• 2 cups chopped spinach or other favorite green like kale
• salt and pepper

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Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Toss fennel slices with oil and salt, roast until edges are browning, about 10 minutes.
• Get pasta water (well salted) boiling, cook pasta as directed on packaging.
• Blend soaked cashews, 1 cup water, 1/2 tsp salt, zest from lemon plus half the juice (reserve the second half) until well blended. You are looking for a creamy consistency. Add more cashews to thicken, or water if too thick.
• Heat large skillet on med-low. Add 2 Tblsp fat and garlic. Cook garlic until soft, about 5 minutes, add roasted fennel and stir. Add spinach, olives, capers, and blended cashew cream, stir. Add pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time to thin sauce to desired consistency.
• Add cooked pasta straight from it's cooking water and stir.
• Squeeze second half of lemon over, add chopped fennel fronds, salt and pepper to taste.
• Enjoy!
• I served it with pan roasted salmon.