BAKED FENNEL GRATIN SIMPLE AND TASTY SIDE DISH
Today I will tell you how to transform simple fennel into a simple but tasty dish to present as a side dish suitable for any occasion.
I love fennel and I consume it practically all year round: in the summer simply raw cut into salads or dipped in TZATZICHI SAUCE or CHICKPEA HUMMUS, during the winter I prefer to cook them and prepare them as if they were a cutlet (breaded and fried ) or baked au gratin.
In fact, fennel is an extremely versatile vegetable that lends itself to a thousand different recipes, the one I propose to you today is that of SANDY FENNEL gratin in the OVEN without BECHAMELLA.
A simple and light way to transform simple fennel into a tasty dish. All you need is a simple addition of grated cheese flavored with chopped parsley, garlic and a little breadcrumbs and you will bring to the table a side dish suitable for the whole family.
At the bottom of the recipe you will also find the procedure for preparing Gratinated Sandy Fennel without Béchamel with the air fryer or in a pan.
For other vegetable side dish recipes I also suggest:
Ingredients
- Power 103,25 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 11,11 (g) of which sugars 2,68 (g)
- Proteins 5,71 (g)
- Fat 3,39 (g) of which saturated 1,69 (g)of which unsaturated 1,16 (g)
- Fibers 3,44 (g)
- Sodium 337,39 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 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
Tools
Steps
FENNEL PREPARATION
Wash the fennel, dry them with a cloth then cut them into not too thick slices. Place the chopped fennel in a bowl, add a pinch of salt, the chopped parsley with ½ clove of garlic (you can omit the garlic), the grated cheese and finally the breadcrumbs. Mix everything with a spoon.
COOKING FENNEL IN THE OVEN WITH GRATIN
Transfer the previously seasoned fennel to a baking tray lined with baking paper (or to a baking dish). Season with 1 – 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, add a few cherry tomatoes to taste. Cook in a preheated ventilated oven at 190 degrees for about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.
STORAGE
Baked fennel au gratin without bechamel are excellent both hot and cold and keep perfectly, closed in an airtight container, for 3 – 4 days in the fridge. Before consuming them you just need to heat them up.
NOTE AND VARIATIONS
FENNEL GRATINATED IN PAN
To prepare fennel au gratin without turning on the oven you can also proceed in a pan. After washing and cutting them, place them in a radial pattern in a pan without crowding them too much. Add a pinch of salt and half a cup of water. Leave to cook for 15 minutes with the lid on, then remove it and let the water dry. The fennel must be soft. Add to the fennel the mix of breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, a drizzle of oil on the surface and 2 tablespoons of water on the base of the pan. Finish cooking for another 5 minutes. Serve on the table.
FENNEL GRATIN WITH AIR FRYER
You can also cook sandy fennel au gratin in the air fryer. In this case, after having washed them, cut them and seasoned them with parsley, breadcrumbs, salt, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and parmesan, place them directly on the air fryer basket, without baking paper. Turn on the air fryer at 200 degrees and cook for about 7 minutes. Check the cooking of the fennel so that it is sufficiently soft and cooked. There is no need to stir the fennel during cooking as the air from the fryer will make it golden and uniform.
BAKED FENNEL WITHOUT CHEESE (VEGAN): For a version without cheese you can eliminate the grated parmesan and flavor the fennel with orange zest before baking.
GLUTEN-FREE BAKED FENNEL: For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free breadcrumbs or simply eliminate it from the recipe and add plenty of parmesan.
SUBSTITUTIONS: For an even tastier version of baked fennel gratin, replace the parmesan with pecorino or mix the two cheeses.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What benefits does cooked fennel have?
Due to the high quantity of water present within it, fennel cleans the intestine and keeps liver levels under control. Furthermore, fennel has anti-inflammatory properties that act on the colon, the terminal tract of the digestive system.
Can those with irritable bowel syndrome eat fennel?
Used since ancient times to relieve gaseous colic in newborns, recent studies have confirmed its effectiveness. Fennel is also used in adults to reduce pain related to irritable bowel syndrome and as a light intestinal disinfectant.
Varied doses for servings