Cook and Drink

It was our last evening in Paris and we wondered what to do? Book a table at a nice local restaurant? Or enjoy drinks and dinner in our lovely apartment? Obviously, we decided to stay in. We looked in our refrigerator, did some shopping and sat down with a nice glass of Pinot Blanc and some shrimps. The plan was to make a rich, creamy pasta dish with fennel, zucchini and pancetta.
Thanks to the mild aniseed flavour of the fennel, the dish has a surprisingly uplifting taste. The (peeled) zucchini also benefits from the aniseed flavour and remains tasty and present.

Wine Pairing

Being in France we opened a bottle of Côtes du Rhône produced by Maison M. Chapoutier. This is a red wine made with Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah grapes. The wine has some fruit, a touch of pepper and mild tannins. A traditional French red wine.

If you prefer an Italian wine with the pasta, then we would suggest a glass of Bardolino, for instance the one produced by Monte del Frà. The wine has a beautiful deep red colour, and the aromas made us think of red fruit and perhaps pepper. The wine is medium bodied with some acidity. It will combine very well with both the lightness in the dish and the creaminess.
In general, you’re looking for a fruity red wine with a touch of acidity, for example Chianti Classico, Montepulciano or Barbera.

What You Need

• 1 small Fennel
• 1 small Zucchini (Courgette)
• 1 Shallot
• 80 grams of organic Pancetta
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 1 Bay Leaf
• Piment Doux
• Cream
• Parmesan Cheese
• Black Pepper
• Olive Oil
• Farfalle

What You Do

Finely chop the shallot and the fennel. Add olive oil to a warm skillet and gently fry the shallot and the fennel. Peel the zucchini, slice and quarter. Dice the pancetta. Chop the garlic. Now add the zucchini and the pancetta to the pan. Increase the heat and fry for one or two minutes, just to add colour. Reduce the heat, add the garlic, the bay leaf and the piment doux. Add the farfalle to the boiling water and cook according to the instruction on the package. Leave the pan on low heat for a few minutes. Now add the cream and the Parmesan cheese. Stir and taste. When the farfalle is ready, add it to the pan. Combine and add some cooking liquid to the sauce if needed. Remove the bay leaf, add some fresh black pepper and serve. We decorated the dish with a slice of grilled pancetta.