Rosemary Fettuccine with Spiced White Ragu

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and golden brown, 20 minutes or so. 

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the broth, rosemary, thyme and bay leaves, bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. 

To the onion mixture, add the cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, paprika and lots of cracked black pepper and stir until a paste forms. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the meat and cook, continuously breaking it apart with a wooden spoon or spatula, until almost all browned. Remove the herbs from the broth, stir in 1 cup (reserve the rest for later in case the sauce needs to be loosened up) and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the heavy cream and simmer until the sauce thickens, 15 minutes or so. 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 

When the sauce has thickened, add the cheese, adjust the spices as needed and season with salt. If the sauce becomes too thick, loosen it up with some of the reserved broth. 

When the water boils, add the pasta and cook according to package directions. (It should still have a bite to it as it'll continue cooking in the sauce.) Add the drained cooked pasta to the sauce and stir until all the noodles are coated.  

Serve garnished with more cheese and parsley.