Saffron Noodle Fideua

Combine the chicken stock, minced garlic, and saffron in a saucepan. Heat it gently until warm to the touch, without causing discomfort. Cover and keep at a low simmer to allow the saffron flavors to meld in the background while you proceed with the recipe.

Proceed by cooking and stirring the diced pancetta in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until most of the fat has melted out and the pancetta reaches your preferred level of doneness, approximately 10 minutes. Once done, remove it and set aside.

Discard the excess fat and pour in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook and stir the sliced carrots, artichoke hearts, and green beans until they begin to soften, then remove them from the pan and set aside. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet, and stir in the chopped onion. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook until the onion has softened, around 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, and cook until the tomato-onion mixture forms a thick paste, taking around 15 to 20 minutes.

Spread the onion mixture evenly across the bottom of the skillet, and sprinkle it with broken spaghetti pieces. Pour in enough saffron broth to cover the noodles, then arrange the pancetta and cooked vegetables on top. Add additional saffron broth as required to cover the vegetables. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the noodles are tender, approximately 15 minutes.