Fennel ‘a beccafico’ Sicilian recipe and let’s say economical if not downright poor, the fennel would be a substitution for sardines, although to be honest I don’t know what is cheaper today between fennel and sardines. A small reinterpretation of the more famous dish of sardines ‘a beccafico’ but with a small vegetable variant instead of fish. I also include at the end of the recipe the original dish of Sardines ‘a beccafico’ Messina style that I prepared with tomato but you can easily make them without, in both cases delicious.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian Regional
- Region: Sicily
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
- Energy 307.52 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 25.19 (g) of which sugars 11.76 (g)
- Proteins 6.12 (g)
- Fat 21.26 (g) of which saturated 3.60 (g)of which unsaturated 2.65 (g)
- Fibers 5.89 (g)
- Sodium 1,530.21 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 195 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Necessary ingredients for preparing fennel ‘a beccafico’ Sicilian recipe
- 16 oz fennel
- 1 lemon juice
- 1 orange juice
- 1.75 cups breadcrumbs (fresh)
- 2 tablespoons Sicilian pecorino cheese
- 2/3 cups almonds
- 1/3 cups raisins
- 2 oranges (sliced)
- 1/3 cups extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- to taste black pepper
- 15 leaves bay leaves
Necessary tools for preparing fennel ‘a beccafico’ Sicilian recipe
- Citrus juicer
- Bowl
- 2 Plates
- Baking dish
- Cutting board
Steps to prepare fennel ‘a beccafico’ Sicilian recipe
It goes without saying we are talking about organic oranges, so they can be used with the peel. Wash the fennel and oranges well, slice everything into thin, more or less equal slices.
Use the citrus juicer to extract the juice from the lemon and orange, combine them and season with
salt and pepper, the EVO oil with fennel fronds.
Use fresh breadcrumbs to make the breadcrumb mix, season with two tablespoons of pecorino and salt, crushed almonds, and raisins.
Dip the fennel slices in the seasoned juice with salt, oil, and pepper and
pass them in the breadcrumbs multiple times and on both sides.
After passing them in the breadcrumbs
arrange them in a baking dish, alternating a breaded slice of fennel, a bay leaf (preferably fresh), and an orange slice, continue until all ingredients are used up.
Pour the remaining orange and lemon juice in the baking dish along with a drizzle of oil, and if you have any leftover breadcrumbs, add it on top.
Bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for 45 minutes
The aroma that fills the house from the oven gives you the perception that the fennel ‘a beccafico’ is ready!
Advice
I would also like to recommend trying the dish of Sardines ‘a beccafico’ Messina style.
https://blog.giallozafferano.it/vaipinacucina/ricetta-sarde-a-beccafico/
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I substitute almonds with pine nuts in the fennel ‘a beccafico’ recipe?
Yes, of course, in Sicily this combination is very popular: pine nuts and raisins, we find them in various recipes, in many, only that I often need to change ingredients to try new flavors and not out of disrespect towards the dish or traditions.
