Shrimp and Roasted Fennel Ditalini

Ingredients

• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 0.5 pound ditalini pasta whole-wheat
• 1  fennel bulb halved sliced chopped for garnish, optional ( fronds )
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 
• 4 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 strip lemon zest grated julienned for garnish, optional
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon sea salt divided
• 1 pound shrimp frozen thawed (16 to 20)

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• roasting pan

Directions

1. Heat oven to 450°F. Shell shrimp, but keep tails intact, if desired; reserve shells. In a small pan over medium heat, toast fennel seeds until golden brown, 5 minutes; crush. In a bowl, toss shrimp with fennel seeds. In same pan, bring 1 cup water to a boil with 1/2 teaspoon salt and reserved shells; reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, 30 minutes.
2. Remove and discard shells; simmer until stock reduces by half, 5 minutes. In a roasting pan, place sliced fennel, garlic, oil, pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss. Roast until fennel is tender, 20 minutes. Stir in shrimp, stock and zest; roast until shrimp are just cooked through, 5 minutes. Cook pasta as directed on package until al dente.
3. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
4. Add pasta to roasting pan; roast until pasta is completely cooked, adding reserved liquid a little at a time and stirring to reach desired consistency, 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Serve garnished with julienned zest and fennel fronds, if desired.
6. Self