I love fennel prepared in every way, both raw and cooked. These Baked Fennel with Béchamel are really tasty. I didn’t boil them beforehand, so the oven cooking takes a bit longer, but I like them more this way because they stay crunchier. Here you can find some recipes with fennel:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6 Servings
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs fennel (cleaned, about ten not too large)
- 1.5 cups béchamel
- 1.75 oz Montasio cheese
- to taste fine salt
- to taste olive oil
Steps
Wash and clean the fennel, remove the outer leaves that are tougher and any strings.
Now cut the fennel into wedges; mine were not particularly large, so I cut some into four and others into six wedges.
Line a pan with parchment paper, about 10 inches in diameter, and arrange the fennel wedges on top. Now season with a bit of salt and oil.
Pour the béchamel on top, trying to cover them as much as possible.
Now grate plenty of Montasio cheese on top. You can also choose Parmesan or another hard cheese that you like and can easily grate.
Bake at 356°F for about 45 minutes. In the last 10 minutes, let it gratinate, but check often to avoid burning the fennel.
Tips, Advice
Baked Fennel with Béchamel is a really tasty side dish. I preferred not to blanch them beforehand, so the oven cooking takes a bit longer. Here are some more recipes with fennel:
