Fennel in Batter Au Gratin in the Oven: Gluten-Free Easter Recipe
As Easter approaches, organizing the Easter menu requires special dishes. A side dish we highly recommend is fennel in batter au gratin in the oven. An easy, tasty, and, above all, inclusive recipe.
Why Choose This Au Gratin Fennel?
This recipe has received the most praise among all the ways I’ve cooked fennel.
They’re made with a protein batter based on chickpea flour and water, making them very nutritious and delicious, but above all suitable for those who are gluten intolerant and those who follow a vegetarian diet. If you have guests with these dietary needs, this dish will surprise them.
Additionally, they can be prepared very quickly, just slice the fennel and place them directly in the baking tray raw, without dirtying other pots.
Fennel is among the most versatile vegetables, as they can be prepared in a thousand different ways, here are some ideas for inspiration:
- 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 cups grated parmesan
- 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; buying 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 tray
- 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 a paper towel. Cut them in half lengthwise and slice them thinly 1/8 inch thick.
Meanwhile, prepare the batter: in a large bowl, sift the chickpea flour and mix it with the water.
Vigorously beat with a hand whisk to remove lumps until you get a smooth and homogeneous batter.
Add the finely chopped herbs, garlic powder, and paprika.
Add two pinches of salt and a good grind of pepper.
Line a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with parchment paper, brushing it with 2 tablespoons of oil. Place a first layer of fennel slices without overlapping them.
Pour half of the batter over, distributing evenly over the entire surface with the help of a spoon or spatula.
Sprinkle with half of the grated parmesan and create a second layer of fennel repeating the same operation until all the ingredients are used.
Put in the oven preheated to 390°F for 35 minutes or until a nice golden crust forms on the surface!
Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before cutting into slices.
And voilà… the fennel in batter au gratin in the oven is ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appétit from La Cucina di FeFè!
Storage
👍 You can store the fennel in batter au gratin in the oven 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 chickpea flour with rice flour or cornmeal, the very fine one to be precise, if you want to maintain the gluten-free version, otherwise regular all-purpose flour will do.
🟣 For a total vegan version, you can replace the grated parmesan with nutritional yeast flakes, which as explained multiple times, is an inactive yeast, considered simply as a food seasoning due to its strong flavor or as a dietary supplement for its many properties, including fibers (beta-glucans), vitamins, and minerals.
🟣 If you love super crispy vegetables, I recommend an even crunchier version, distributing the same amount of ingredients listed in the recipe on a single layer in a larger tray that can contain them, like a baking sheet. Let me know!
