Here’s a simple dish and another way to prepare fennel. My friend Elena prepared this when I was visiting last month in Rome.

3 fennel bulbs (thinly sliced)
1 cup of heavy cream
3 tbsp butter
1 cup fontini cheese
1/2 cup fresh parmigiano cheese

Oven: pre-heat at 350

Butter the bottom and sides of the oven baking dish. Layer fennel, fontini cheese, a little cream and parmigiano cheese (repeat twice).

Baked at 350 for forty five minutes (seal the dish with foil paper), this way the fennel is cooking with the steam. Great way to cook a dish and seal the flavors (without leaving it dry and leathery).

Remove the foil and top with extra parmigiano cheese and bake at 375 for five minutes to get the top nice and golden.

This was served after the delicious bowl of pasta and eggplant – it was the perfect lunch and satisfying with white wine! I would also serve this dish with slow roasted pork – great combo too!

Complimenti to Elena,

Maria