Finocchio Selvatico

The fragrant seeds are gathered in autumn. The umbels bearing them are hung up to dry, then stripped of the seeds which are conserved in airtight glass jars. Used for flavouring soups, fish broths; also in baking bread and taralli, which are hard biscuits in the form of a ring, served with wine, found south of Naples in varying forms – the best are brushed with oil before going into the oven. These sometimes contain, instead of fennel seeds, hot peppers, and are then taralli con peperoncini, to be found in bakeries and alimentari.