Fennel gratin

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 bulbs of fennel
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 500 ml milk
• 100 g cream
• 2 tbsp dry white wine
• White pepper, freshly ground
• Nutmeg, freshly grated
• 125 g cheese, grated Fontina
• 50 g pine nuts, dry roasted

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 35 minutes; Total time approx. 55 minutes

Finocchi gratinati

Preheat oven to 175°C. Trim the fennel and set aside the greens. Cut the bulbs into approximately 1cm thick slices and blanch them in boiling salted water with the lemon juice for 3 minutes. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon, rinse in cold water, and drain well in a sieve. Melt the butter in a saucepan, dust with flour, and sauté. Gradually add the milk and cream while stirring, and reduce the heat. Season to taste with white wine, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Grease a baking dish with butter, add the fennel slices, pour over the sauce, sprinkle with the cheese, and bake in the oven for 25 minutes until golden brown. Serve sprinkled with the pine nuts and chopped fennel greens.