2 thick slices of lean, meaty bacon, cut crosswise 1/2 inch thick.
Make the lemon curd.In a small bowl, whisk the gelatin with 2 tablespoons of water.
In medium saucepan, whisk the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and egg yolks.Cook over moderate heat, whisking, until bubbles form around the edge of the mixture, about 3 minutes.Reduce the heat to a bare simmer and cook, whisking, until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 15 minutes.
Whisk in the gelatin mixture.Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the butter, one tablespoon at a time, until well incorporated.
Strain the lemon curd through a fine sieve into a bowl.
Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd and refrigerate until cold and firm, about 2 hours..Cook for four to five minutes until the liquid has almost completely reduced.. Add the Pasta and Cook.
Then, add in the fregola sarda—you can sub in orzo or Israeli couscous if you can't find the fregola—along with the thinly sliced garlic, fennel seeds, and crushed red pepper.Let everything cook until it's "nice and fragrant.".
Pour in the broth next, bringing the mixture to a boil over medium-high.When it's boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and cook until the fregola is "just al dente," about 14 to 16 minutes.