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Prep time
15 minutes
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Cook time
2 hours 30 minutes
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Serves
4
Author Notes
This sauce will make your entire dwelling smell really good. So good that you’ll find yourself wandering into the kitchen just to sneak a taste as the sauce cooks (try to be patient!). Made with fragrant Diaspora Co. Kashmiri Saffron, this ragu is inspired by classic Italian bolognese. The base starts out with onions, carrots, and fennel instead of celery, all cooked until soft and just starting to caramelize. Instead of the usual mix of pork and beef, we’re using chicken here, which allows the flavor of the saffron to shine. The chicken and vegetables are layered with white wine, chicken stock, and milk. After a few hours of low ‘n’ slow cooking, the milk imbues the ground chicken with a silky, luscious, melt-in-your-mouth texture that perfectly clings to every twirl of pasta. Don’t skip the parsley and lemon zest sprinkle at the end—it brings freshness and a little sharpness that cuts through the richness of the sauce. Pro tip: Spend the extra time chopping the vegetables and make a double batch. Your future self will thank you when you find half of the sauce in the freezer later. —Asha Loupy
Test Kitchen Notes
Head here to check out Diaspora Co.’s single-origin saffron in the Food52 Shop.
—The Editors
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Ingredients
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6 tablespoons
extra-virgin olive oil, divided
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1 pound
ground chicken
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1 1/2 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
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1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
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2
medium carrots, finely diced
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1
large leek, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
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1
medium fennel bulb, finely diced
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2
large garlic cloves, minced
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3 tablespoons
tomato paste
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1 pinch
red pepper flakes
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3/4 cup
dry white wine
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1
big pinch (40 to 50 threads) Diaspora Co. Kashmiri Saffron (see Author Notes)
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1 1/2 cups
chicken stock
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1 cup
whole milk
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1
dried bay leaf
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1 pound
dried egg noodles or pappardelle
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2 tablespoons
unsalted butter, cut into cubes
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2 tablespoons
finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
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Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (1 to 2 teaspoons)
Directions
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Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in large clumps, season with ½ teaspoon of salt and the pepper, and let cook undisturbed until one side is deeply golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a medium bowl, leaving any drippings in the pan (the chicken might not be cooked through).
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Reduce the heat to medium, then add the carrots, leek, fennel, remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and just start to turn golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
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Add the garlic, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste turns brick red and starts to caramelize, about another 3 minutes.
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Stir in the white wine and saffron, making sure to scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the liquid has reduced by one-third, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the browned chicken, using a spatula, and break it into small pieces. Add the stock, milk, and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender and the sauce has reduced by half, 1½ to 2 hours.
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When the sauce is ready, turn off the heat and cover the pot to keep warm while you cook the pasta.
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, then abundantly season with salt. Add the egg noodles and cook to al dente, according to the package’s instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain and transfer the pasta to the sauce.
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Increase the heat under the sauce to medium-high, add ¼ cup of pasta water, and cook until the sauce coats the pasta, about 1 to 2 minutes. If the sauce looks a little too thick, add a couple more tablespoons of the pasta cooking water until it reaches the desired consistency. Turn off the heat and stir in the butter.
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To serve, transfer the sauced noodles to a large serving platter or individual bowls. Mix the parsley and lemon zest in a small bowl and sprinkle over the pasta.
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