Fried Fennels

Fried fennels are a tasty and relatively simple side dish to prepare. Here is the recipe to make them:

Ingredients

• 2 large fennels
• Flour as needed
• Sparkling water or cold beer as needed
• Salt as needed
• Oil for frying

Preparation

1. Start by cleaning the fennels: remove the hard part at the base and the damaged outer leaves. Cut the fennels into wedges that are not too thin, so that they maintain their texture after cooking.
2. Boil the fennel pieces in salted water for about 5-7 minutes, until they are soft yet still al dente. Drain them and let them cool down.
3. For the batter: in a bowl, place some flour and gradually pour in sparkling water or cold beer, mixing until you get a batter that is neither too liquid nor too dense. Add a pinch of salt.
4. Heat plenty of oil in a pan or a deep fryer. The oil is ready when, by immersing a wooden stick, bubbles form around it.
5. Dip the fennel wedges into the batter, making sure to cover them evenly.
6. Fry the batter-immersed fennels in the hot oil until they are golden. This should take about 2-3 minutes per side.
7. Drain the fried fennels on paper towels to remove excess oil.
8. Serve hot, with a sprinkling of salt and a drizzle of fresh lemon juice.

This dish elevates the simplicity of fennels to a surprising level of flavor with the crunchiness of frying. In Italy, it is quite common to find the use of beer or sparkling water-based batters that make frying lighter and crispier.

Curiosity

The batter with sparkling water or beer makes the fried fennels particularly crispy and light. The use of beer can also add a slight additional aroma to the dish.