Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato and Fennel Sauce

I just made this today, and it's the best pasta I've ever cooked! Guess what, I got the recipe from The Costco Connection magazine! Yes, I'm one of the few people that actually reads this before tossing it out. Here's the recipe, which I've adapted slightly:

PASTA WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO AND FENNEL SAUCE

Ingredients:

Kosher salt 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 cup chopped fennel (about half a medium bulb) 2 medium cloves garlic, very coarsely chopped 1 cup heavy cream

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth 1/3 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, very coarsely chopped 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 pound dried pasta

Directions:

1.	Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the fennel and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fennel starts to soften and brown, about 5 minutes.
2.	Stir in 1 cup water and the cream, chicken broth, sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer briskly, uncovered, until the tomatoes are plump and soft, about 15 minutes.

3.	Remove from the heat. Let cool slightly, then puree in a blender until smooth. Wipe out the skillet, return the sauce to the skillet, season to taste with salt and keep hot.

4.	Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until barely al dente, 1 to 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain well and return to the pot. Add the sauce and toss over medium-low heat for a minute or two so the pasta finishes cooking and absorbs some of the sauce.

The only major change is that, instead of using ole' humdrum rigatoni (which the original recipe called for), I substituted this beautiful and delicious lanterne pasta from World Market. The ridges of the lanterne pasta held the sauce in really well and it tasted delicious!