Elbow macaroni with pine nuts, lemon, and fennel recipe

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and thinly sliced
• ½ cup fennel fronds, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup toasted Mediterranean pine nuts
• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 finely grated lemon zest and juice (about 3 tablespoons juice)
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups elbow macaroni (about 12 ounces)
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. In a serving bowl, combine the fennel and fronds, pine nuts, mint, lemon zest and juice, and pepper flakes. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and ½ cup oil. Season the dressing with salt and pour over the fennel mixture. Let it sit while you cook the pasta.
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse, and pat dry on a sheet pan lined with a kitchen towel. In a large bowl, toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
4. Add the pasta to the fennel mixture and sprinkle with the cheese. Toss well and serve at room temperature.