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–+ servings
Finocchi rifatti al pomodoro (Fried Fennel in Tomato Sauce)
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Finocchi rifatti al pomodoro

Fried Fennel in Tomato Sauce
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Keyword: boiled, fried, simmered, vegetable, vegetarian
Servings: 4
Calories: 203.7kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 large fennel bulbs
  • salt

For frying the fennel:

  • all purpose flour
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • oil olive oil and/or peanut oil
  • salt
  • 2 tbs parmigiano-reggiano freshly grated (optional)

For the tomato sauce:

  • 1 large can of crushed tomatoes or milled peeled tomatoes, or a bottle of passata
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic peeled and thinly sliced
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • A fresh basil leaf optional

Instructions

Make the tomato sauce

  • In a sauté pan or skillet, gently sauté the garlic in abundant olive oil. When the garlic has just begun to give off its aroma, add the milled tomatoes and, if using, the basil leaf. Season with salt and a good grind of pepper.
  • Simmer the tomatoes over a gentle flame for about 15-20 minutes, until they have reduced into a rich sauce or until needed.

Prep the fennel

  • Trim the fennel bulbs of their green stalks and peel off any brusing Then cut them vertically into slices about 1 cm (1/4 inch) thick.
  • Parboil the fennel slices in well salted water, about 5-7 minutes, until almost but not quite tender. Using a skimmer, lift the slices out of their cooking water and lay them on a kitchen towel to dry and cool off a bit.

Fry the fennel

  • Arrange two shallow bowls, one with the flour and the other with the beaten egg. In a skillet or saute pan, heat enough oil to come up perhaps 1 cm (1/2 in) deep.
  • When the oil is hot but not smoking, pass the slices in the flour, then in the beaten egg, then place them in the hot oil.
  • Fry the fennel slices until golden brown on both sides, proceeding in batched if need be.

Finish the dish

  • As the slices are done frying, transfer them to the tomato sauce.
  • Simmer the fennel slices in the sauce for 5 minutes or so to let them absorb the flavor, turning them once or twice only. If the sauce has reduced too much to cover the fennel, you can top it up with some of the fennel cooking water.
  • Let the dish rest off heat for a few minutes, then serve warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 203.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.3g | Protein: 5.2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11.3g | Cholesterol: 83.6mg | Sodium: 3621.8mg | Potassium: 524.7mg | Fiber: 3.7g | Sugar: 4.7g | Vitamin A: 296.1IU | Vitamin C: 14.5mg | Calcium: 104.8mg | Iron: 1.4mg