A silky cream sauce made with directly imported Afghan saffron, with its long, straight, deep-red threads and extraordinary fragrance doing most of the work. Inspired by the saffron cream sauces of Abruzzo, where saffron has been cultivated for centuries. Simply toss with tagliatelle or capellini and finish with Parmigiano, or add sautéed chanterelles or pork sausage with a crackle of fennel seed.