This Italian-style casserole makes good use of Florence fennel, one of the most under-rated and under-used vegetables. It looks like a cross between celery and onion, and tastes of aniseed when raw. When cooked, it takes on a flavour all its own.
The Recipe
Aubergines tend to absorb a lot of oil, so make sure you add them slightly after the majority of the other ingredients, otherwise there’ll be no oil left to fry everything else.
Ingredients
2 fennel bulbs, quartered
2 aubergines, cubed
4 celery sticks, sliced
7 shallots or 1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tbsp chives, chopped
1 tbsp basil, chopped
1 tbsp oregano, chopped
1 bottle passata
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp olive paste
1 stock cube
Black pepper, freshly ground
100g parmesan reggiano, grated
6 sun-dried tomatoes
Method
Fry the shallots/onion, garlic, fennel, celery, aubergines, chives, basil, parsley, olive paste black pepper and sun-dried tomatoes in the olive oil. Add the other ingredients and fry rapidly until well-reduced. Place in covered, oven-proof dish and cover with parmesan cheese. Bake in the middle of the oven at gas mark 4 until the cheese is golden brown.
Serves 2-4.
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