Baked fennel

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 1 bulb(s) of fennel
• 1 pack of mozzarella
• some olive oil
• salt and pepper
• Basil, dried
• Fresh basil for garnishing

Instructions

Working time approx. 5 minutes; Total time approx. 5 minutes

suitable as a starter and main course

Clean the fennel, trimming off any green parts and any brown bits at the base. Cut the bulb in half and boil in salted water for about 15-20 minutes. Depending on the size of the bulb, test with a fork after 10 minutes to see if it’s tender. Add a little olive oil to a baking dish, enough to cover the bottom. Place the drained fennel in the baking dish. Cut the drained mozzarella in half and place on top of the bulbs. Season with salt, pepper, and dried basil, and bake in the oven at 200°C for about 5-10 minutes until the cheese melts slightly and turns crispy and brown. Since this cooks relatively quickly with high top heat, I recommend watching the process instead of setting the kitchen timer. The quantities given are for a starter for two people. I also like to eat it as a main course. Variation: Instead of mozzarella, feta cheese can also be sprinkled on top and perhaps spiced up with a little chili.