Finocchi Gratinati con Besciamella | Northern Italian-Style Fennel with Besciamella Sauce

This is a great recipe for people who love fennel, as well as picky eaters who usually aren’t so enthusiastic about vegetables. This northern Italian-style side dish layers sliced fennel with decadent besciamella sauce, cheese, and bread crumbs. Think of it like a fennel lasagna!

How to Prep the Fennel Bulbs

Trim off any green stems from the fennel, along with any tough root core that pokes out from the bottom of the bulb. Peel off and discard the outermost layers of the bulbs, cut the bulbs in half, and wash them under running water. Cut into wedges, about ½ to 1 inch (1.25-2.5 cm) at the widest point.

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FINOCCHI GRATINATI CON BESCIAMELLA RECIPE

Makes: 4 servings

Cook Time: 1 hour

For this recipe, you will need:

• Salt

• 2 large fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut into wedges (see above)

• 5 tablespoons (75 g) unsalted butter, divided, plus extra for topping

• ⅓ cup (40 g) 00 or all-purpose flour

• 1 ¾ cups (400 ml) whole milk

• Fresh black pepper

• Fresh ground nutmeg

• Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, to taste

• Bread crumbs for topping, to taste

Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Add the fennel wedges and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool while you make the besciamella sauce.

Melt 3 tbsp. (45 g) of butter in a small saucepan over medium/low heat. Add the flour and stir with a whisk until a roux forms. Add half the milk and stir until the roux dissolves, then add the remaining milk. Season with a pinch of salt, black pepper, and nutmeg.

Continue to stir the besciamella over medium/low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until it thickens into the consistency of a thick gravy. Season with more salt as needed, then turn off the heat.

Melt the remaining 2 tbsp. of butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the boiled fennel wedges and cook them until both sides are lightly browned. Remove from the pan.

Preheat the oven to 395° F (200° C).

Spread a thin layer of besciamella sauce in the bottom of a 9-inch pie dish, or similar. Spread the fennel wedges into a single layer across the dish. Spread the rest of the besciamella on top to cover the fennel, and top with a generous grating of Parmigiano cheese, a sprinkle of breadcrumbs, and a few small pats of butter.

Bake the fennel for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top starts to brown. You can use the broiler for the last few minutes to speed up the browning, if necessary.

Serve warm. Buon appetito!