Ingredients:
6 tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 poundground chicken
1 1/2 teaspoonskosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
2 medium carrots, finely diced
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
1 medium fennel bulb, finely diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoonstomato paste
1 pinchred pepper flakes
3/4 cupdry white wine
1 big pinch (40 to 50 threads) Diaspora Co. Kashmiri Saffron (see Author Notes)
1 1/2 cupschicken stock
1 cupwhole milk
1 dried bay leaf
1 pounddried egg noodles or pappardelle
2 tablespoonsunsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 tablespoonsfinely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (1 to 2 teaspoons)
Directions:
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).
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.
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.
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.
When the sauce is ready, turn off the heat and cover the pot to keep warm while you cook the pasta.
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.
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.
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.