Gratinated fennel is a tasty and flavorful side dish thanks to the ingredients used.
With the gratin, you can play with combinations, and in this recipe, a few simple ingredients such as anchovies in oil, Taggiasca olives, capers, and pecorino make this dish appealing to every palate.
Gratinated fennel is a versatile side dish that you can pair with any meat, fish, or egg dish.
Eating fennel is good for our health as it is rich in antioxidants, known for its digestive and draining abilities, and it’s low in calories and fats; an essential food for those on a diet or simply love eating healthy.
Gratinated fennel is quick to prepare, just assemble the ingredients and put them in the oven for 30 minutes, but scroll down to see in detail how to prepare it.
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Winter
Ingredients
- 2 fennel bulbs
- 6 anchovy fillets in oil
- 10 Taggiasca olives
- 1 tablespoon of pickled capers
- 1.4 oz of breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons of Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 glass of white wine
- to taste of salt
- to taste of extra virgin olive oil (EVO)
Steps
Clean the fennel bulbs from the tougher outer parts, set aside some of the fronds for later.
Cut into quarters and then into slices, rinse under running water.
In a baking dish, pour some EVO oil and arrange the sliced fennel inside. Pour the glass of white wine, which will give fragrance to the cooked fennel.
Season with salt and sprinkle with the finely chopped fronds.
Cut the anchovy fillets into small pieces and place them among the fennel, also add the pickled capers, rinsed under water and squeezed.
Finish the dish by adding the Taggiasca olives and the breadcrumbs mixed with Pecorino Romano cheese.
Bake at 356°F for 30 minutes, before removing from the oven, check that the topping is golden and with a fork, pierce the fennel to verify they are cooked.
Gratinated fennel is a typical Italian side dish that deserves a 10 out of 10 for its golden, crispy crust that will make your mouth water! 😛
