As much as I adore long-simmered pasta sauces like Bolognese, the ones I gravitate to most can be sautéed in a skillet while the pasta boils in a pot alongside.

Variations on a classic aglio e olio, these sauces are invariably anchored by loads of olive oil and garlic, then perked up with red pepper flakes and handful of parsley.

Sometimes, though, the urge to embellish pulls hard, especially when there are cured pork products in the house. Slivers of spicy salami or pepperoni, fried in oil along with the garlic, render their fat and turn irresistibly crisp. The pieces are a little like bacon, but instead of a smoky flavor, they add a chile kick along with their brawny character.

In this version, I went a few steps further and added tomato paste, fennel seeds and lemon to the pan. These elements build on one another, with the tomato rounding out the licorice note of the fennel and softening the acid from the lemon. But it’s a mix that takes well to tweaking.

The fennel seed can be the first to go if you’re not a licorice fan. You could substitute cracked coriander seeds or just skip the spice entirely. Feel free to add the lemon to taste.

I like to use orecchiette pasta here so the curved cups can capture the nuggets of pepperoni. But any short, textured pasta with nooks and crannies would work just as well. You can even use long pasta like bucatini if that’s what’s on hand, though you might want to chop the pepperoni a little more finely so it can cling on to the strands.

Make sure not to overcook the pasta; it should have a firm spine when added to the skillet. Then, toss everything well so the pepperoni can’t hide at the bottom of the pan. Those savory, crunchy bits are the star of this simple, adaptable dish.

Bits of chopped pepperoni crisp up almost like bacon when fried, with curled, browned edges and a savory bite. Lemon, garlic and fennel seeds round out the flavors, and fresh herbs lend brightness. If you don’t have pepperoni on hand, any kind of salami will work.

Pepperoni pasta with lemon and garlic

Ingredients:

• Salt

• 1 pound medium pasta shells or orecchette

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

• 6 ounces pepperoni, thinly sliced, then coarsely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, cracked with the side of a chef’s knife

• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1 small lemon, zested

• 3/4 cup torn fresh basil or parsley leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish

• Grated Parmesan, for serving (optional)

Directions:

Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, according to package directions, until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain.

In a skillet, heat oil over medium. Add pepperoni and cook 3-4 minutes.

If the pan looks dry, drizzle in more oil. Add garlic, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt; cook 2-3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook about 1 minute.

Add the drained pasta, lemon zest and 3/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet. Stir until the pasta is well coated with sauce. Add more pasta water until the pasta is cooked to taste.

Cut zested lemon in half and squeeze some juice into the pasta. Stir in herbs. Cut the remaining half lemon into wedges and serve alongside the pasta, which should be garnished with a drizzle of oil and Parmesan.

Total time: 25 minutes, serves 4.

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