March and April are the two months of the year when wild fennel fronds abound in the Sicilian fields, or generally in southern Italy, and I have so much that every year I experiment with some new recipe. This year, it’s pasta with fennel frond pesto, in a red version. A true delight!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Sicily
- Seasonality: Spring
Ingredients
- 7.1 oz spaghetti (or pasta of your choice)
- 1/3 oz wild fennel fronds (just the tops)
- 4 sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 0.7 oz almonds
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- salt
Tools
- Chopper
Steps
To prepare pasta with fennel frond pesto, start by heating the water to cook the pasta. In a small bowl, soak the sun-dried tomatoes in a glass of hot water. Meanwhile, wash the fennel fronds and cut the tops, then place them into a blender. Add the almonds, peeled garlic clove, a pinch of salt, a tablespoon of Parmesan, and the oil. Take the sun-dried tomatoes, which should have softened slightly, and add them to the blender. Be careful not to discard the water.
Blend everything together, and finally, thin the pesto with 2 or 3 tablespoons of the soaking water from the tomatoes. Mix well and proceed to cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water according to the cooking times on the package. Once cooked, drain it and dress it with the fennel frond pesto.
Enjoy your meal.
Tips
You can also prepare the fennel frond pesto in advance and store it in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 1 or 2 days. Or in the freezer for about 30 days, remembering to take it out 24 hours before use and allowing it to thaw in the fridge.
