2 tablespoons fennel seeds
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored and finely chopped
½ cup tomato sauce
½ cup white wine
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup currants
for the “halo”
½ cup unseasoned breadcrumbs, lightly toasted
¼ finely chopped fennel tops
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound angel hair (cappellini) or spaghetti
Ingredients
Simple and delicious. Serves 4 as a main course.
FENNEL PESTO
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F.
In a heavy-duty sauce pot over medium-high heat, dry roast the fennel seeds until they become slightly browned and give off a nutty aroma. Add the crushed red pepper and give a stir or two. Don’t let the flakes burn.
Pour in the oil and add the chopped onion. Sauté for 2 or 3 minutes or two, until the onion begins to soften. Add the chopped fennel bulb. Sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the wine and the tomato sauce. Put a lid on the pot and place it in the oven.
Meanwhile place the fennel cores and outer layers in 6 quarts of salted water, cover and bring to a slow simmer.
When, after 20-30 minutes, the fennel the onion and the fennel are thoroughly soft, remove the pot from the oven and coarsely puree with an immersion blender. Add the currants and simmer on top of the stove for another 10 minutes.
Mix together the ingredients for the garnish.
Discard the fennel in pasta water and cook the pasta. Return to the stove over medium heat. Stir in the fennel pesto.
Transfer to serving dishes. Garnish with the “halo” and serve.
Instructions
