You may be familiar with the Southern Italian dish melanzane parmigiana which uses eggplant / aubergine. I am having a love hate relationship with aubergine at present. I think it has to do with the fact that for the past 6 months or so I have been buying baby aubergines. They look very pretty but I think the skin to flesh ratio is just not right for me. I don’t like the texture of the skin unless it is in a caponata and I prefer the texture of the flesh when made into a baba ganoush. I tried making a melanzane parmigiana and after the first bite I decided I would make the dish again using fennel instead. Fennel and tomato is a match made in heaven and I loved the texture that the fennel had when cooked in this way. I know a lot of people do not like the aniseed / licorice taste of fennel but I am slightly addicted to it. My go to spice is star anise so knowing that, I should have known that I would love the fennel parmigiana. You can make this like I did in small cocottes for individual portions, or you could make a large dish to serve as a side. Either way, I am sure you will enjoy my version of this classic dish.
are you a fan of fennel?
Finocchio | Fennel Parmigiana Recipe
Ingredients
- 15 mls olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 500 g tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1.25 mls fructose
- 15 mls red wine vinegar
- 125 mls vegetable stock
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
- 30 mls chopped fennel fronds
- 5 g butter
- 1 large fennel bulb, sliced
- 15 mls white wine
- Parmesan cheese for grating
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan
- Sauté the onions and garlic until soft
- Add the tomatoes, fructose, vinegar and stock
- Season to taste and simmer until the tomatoes are soft
- Add the fennel fronds and cook for 5 minutes
- Remove from the pan and set aside to cool
- Heat the butter in the pan and add the fennel
- Deglaze with the white wine and cook until the fennel is soft
- Preheat the oven to 180° Celsius
- In an ovenproof dish, layer the tomatoes and the fennel, ending with tomatoes
- Top with grated Parmesan cheese
- Bake for 20 minutes and serve hot
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
What I blogged:
- one year ago – carrot and beetroot soup
- two years ago – The Post House
I love this recipe and fennel is on the shopping list for tomorrow. Love eggplant too and have used both large and small: had never thought of the skin/flesh ratio, but think I agree with you: I normally do keep the skin on. It took me a long time to ‘like’ fennel because of its specific taste: now very much like it in fennel/orange/mint etc salads, braises and stirfries. Have never even thought to make it your way but can’t wait to try!!!!
Please let me know what you think! I have to try the mint and fennel combination 🙂
I love fennel and use it in salads: thin slices of raw fennel matched with grapefruit filets, roasted pine nuts – delicious!
I must try that combination! Thanks for the tweet love Barbara 🙂
Very good idea. I’m very keen on fennel too.
Thanks Roger 🙂
Interesting – I’ve never had fennel baked with tomato before, only as a gratin which is also good. I do like fennel but never see it in the shops out our way. i used to love it in salads when I was working in Italy.
It grows wild in the Western Cape so it might be something you can grow at home?
I’m a big fan of fennel but interestingly, not of Ouzo or licorice which is too aniseedy for me 🙂
Ouzo I can give a miss as well!
Great idea! I love parmigiana but Big Man is not so keen on aubergines but we both love that anis flavour of fennel. Does it become tender when cooked for only 20 mins?
I like some crunch to my food so it still had a bit of a bite 🙂
love the idea of Fennel and i also agree about the skin of the egg plant dont like it–
I am going to try and peel my egg plants next time I use them 🙂
I love fennel. My favourite way to cook it is to simply braise it in a little chicken stock and then sprinkle in some parmesan at the end although I did make a delicious fennel gratin the other day too. Your fennel dish looks amazing. One for me to try.
And your favourite way is a dish I must try!
This looks terrific. I am a huge fennel fan!
Thanks Tammy 🙂
I am not sure if I am a fan, but I like it 🙂
Which is a good thing!
Looks like a really tasty dish, Tandy. I’m not a big fennel user, but I imagine it’s great in this recipe.
I think it is an acquired taste AD 🙂
Love love love Fennel, raw, cooked whatever! Great recipe Tandy x
Thank you Lisa 🙂
I have got to-got to- get on this fennel bandwagon…this recipe is inspiring!
thank you so much Squishy 🙂
Indian cooking thrives on fennel so yep, definitely a big fan 😀
This looks delicious!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I must find some Indian recipes with fennel in them 🙂
I love the taste of fennel in pasta and pizza. This looks delicious. I am definitely a fan of fennel.
I must try fennel on pizza! Thanks for the visit 🙂
I tend to go back and forth on whether or not I like fennel..but covered in cheese, I think I could become a hard and fast fan!
This will convert you for sure!
Your fennel sounds great cooked this way. I have had it roasted with cheese but not the tomatoes.
I shall have to try is roasted next time!