Easter is approaching, and so I’ll start sharing some recipes I planned to prepare myself! Certainly, a side dish I highly recommend bringing to the table for this festive occasion is the fennel in batter gratin baked! First of all, because they are delicious, and among the many ways I’ve cooked them, this is one of those that received the most approval! They are made by dressing them with a special and super tested batter based on chickpea flour and water, making them very nutritious and tasty! Another valid reason is that they are suitable for both those who are gluten intolerant and those following a vegetarian diet, so if you have guests with these dietary needs, this dish will certainly surprise and win them over! Finally, and not least, they are prepared in no time because the fennel only needs to be sliced and placed directly in the pan raw, without dirtying other pots! The time factor is now an essential element even in the kitchen, especially for those who work and cannot devote time to cooking! There’s always a search for easy recipes with maximum yield, and this side dish has all those qualities! Moreover, you can also prepare them well in advance the day before and simply reheat them shortly before serving! This way, they are perfect to take with you as a packed lunch to the office or on a day trip. Cold and cut into squares, they are also excellent snacks to offer with an aperitif or perfect for stuffing sandwiches, toast, etc. Their versatility will make you fall in love with them!
Fennel is among the most versatile vegetables, as they can be made in a thousand different ways, so here below are some other ideas to take inspiration from:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients
- 2 fennel (medium)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/4 cups chickpea flour
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon herbs (dried chives, fresh rosemary, parsley)
- 2 pinches salt
- to taste pepper
Tools
⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog helps support me and my work, and it won’t cost you anything extra!
- 1 Knife
- 1 Paper towel
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Hand whisk
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Baking dish
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Spoon
Steps:
Clean the fennel, removing the outer leaves, fronds, and base with a sharp knife. Wash them under running water and pat them dry with paper towels. Cut them in half lengthwise and slice them thinly to about 1/8 inch.
Meanwhile, prepare the batter: in a large bowl, sift the chickpea flour and mix it with the water gradually.
Work vigorously with a hand whisk to eliminate lumps until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous batter.
Add the finely chopped herbs, garlic powder, and paprika.
Add two pinches of salt and a generous grind of pepper.
Line a 13×9 baking dish with a sheet of parchment paper, brushing it with 2 tablespoons of oil. Place a first layer of fennel slices without overlapping them.
Pour half of the batter on top, spreading it evenly across the surface with a spoon or spatula.
Sprinkle with half of the grated Parmesan and create a second layer of fennel, repeating the same operation until all ingredients are used up.
Place in the oven preheated to 392°F (200°C) for 35′ or until a nice golden crust forms on top!
Take it out of the oven and allow to cool for 5′ before slicing.
And voilà…the fennel in batter gratin baked is ready to be enjoyed!
Enjoy from La Cucina di FeFè!
Storage
👍 You can store the fennel in batter gratin baked in the fridge, in suitable refrigeration containers for 3-4 days. Freezing is possible for 1 month.
Tips, notes, variations, and suggestions
🟣 You can replace the chickpea flour with rice flour or fined corn flour, if you want to keep the gluten-free version, otherwise plain all-purpose flour will work as well.
🟣 For a total vegan version instead, you can replace the grated Parmesan with nutritional yeast flakes, which as explained several times is an inactive yeast, simply considered as a food flavoring due to its strong taste or as a dietary supplement due to its multiple properties, including fibers (beta-glucans), vitamins, and minerals.
🟣 If you love super crunchy vegetables, I recommend an even crunchier version, distributing the same amount of ingredients listed in the recipe over a single layer inside a larger pan that can accommodate them, such as the oven tray. Let me know!
