Egg Noodles with Fennel-Pepper Sauce

This weekend I needed a side dish to go with my Roast Chicken with Pan Gravy, and came up with the following combo. The pan gravy called for only 2 tablespoons of the leftover fat from the roast chicken, so I saved the rest--way too much flavor to waste! I used a tablespoon of it in my sauce, but you could use butter.

I have a love affair with black pepper--if you don't, you might want to cut the pepper down. This has a bite!

Ingredients:

• 6 oz dried egg noodles (From Scratch)
• 1 TB fat
• 1 TB flour
• 1 1/4 cup fennel broth (from scratch)
  
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 Tsp fresh ground black pepper
• fresh chopped flat leaf parsley to garnish

Directions:

• Cook noodles in 4 quarts water, drain and set aside.
• Heat fat, until melted, then turn to low heat.
• Mix in flour until blended into a roux.
• Slowly pour in broth, while vigourously whisking roux, until all ingredients are well blended.
• Cook, whisking often, on medium low heat until thickened.
• Whisk in sour cream until well blended.
• Heat for a few more minutes to allow it to thicken back up.
• Stir in pepper.
• Stir sauce into noodles until well coated.
• Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.