Name: Wild Fennel Soup (Zuppa di Finocchi Selvatici)
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Italy
Ingredients: 1 large handful wild fennel or 4 bulbs cultivated fennel with as many leaves as possible; salt; 24–30 X 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes white crustless bread; 5 oz (150 g) unsalted butter; 4 oz (100 g) stracchino or Bel Paese cheese, thinly sliced

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Italian Regional Cookery

By Valentina Harris

Published 1990

About

Despite its title, this deliciously refreshing Sardinian soup works equally well with cultivated fennel. It’s a baked soup, with a delicate flavour, which makes it rather unusual.

Ingredients

1 large handful wild fennel or 4 bulbs cultivated fennel with as many leaves as possible
salt

Method

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 350°F (180°C).

Wash and trim and finely slice the fennel, cover with cold water, add a large pinch of salt and cook on top of the stove for about 10 minutes or until tender. Don’t drain. Fry the bread in about two thirds of the butter until cris