Baked Sweet Fennel with Parmesan Crust

 

Note from Cheri This recipe is from Rozanne Gold's book Recipes 1-2-3. This clever book is a collection of delicious recipes that use only three (count them!) ingredients. Follow this link to read an interview with Chef Rozanne Gold. Follow this link for a book review of Rozanne's "Recipes 1-2-3".

3 medium-size fennel bulbs 3 T fruity olive oil 6 T grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan cheese Optional Add-Ons Sprinkle also with balsamic vinegar. For a trattoria-style main course, add sweet Italian sausage that has been crumbled and cooked.

Serves 6 Preheat oven to 400° F. Trim the fronds and stalks off the fennel bulbs and reserve for another use. Remove any dark spots from the fennel and trim the outside layer. Cut the fennel in half lengthwise through the root. Place the bulbs cut side up in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle each piece with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Bake 25 minutes. Turn the bulbs over, adding a little more oil if necessary. Lower the heat to 350° F. and bake 20 minutes longer. Turn fennel over so the cut side is up. Sprinkle each fennel half with 1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese and bake 5 minutes longer.