| 4 Medium Fennel Bulbs, about 2 1/2 Lbs. |
| Salt & Pepper |
| 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil plus more to oil the baking pan |
| 1/2 Tsp. Fennel seed crushed or roughly powdered |
| 3 Garlic Cloves |
| 1/4 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes |
| 1/2 Tsp. Chopped Rosemary |
| 1/2 lb. Mozzarella Cheese sliced or shredded |
| 2 Tsp. Rosemary Leaves |
| 1/4 Cup coarse dry homemade bread crumbs |
| 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (about 1 1/2 Oz.) |
| 2 Tbsp. Chopped Parsley, or a mixture of parsley & fennel fronds |
Preheat oven to 375 °F. Remove a thin layer of the fennel bulbs’ tough exterior with a paring knife or sharp vegetable peeler. Cut the fennel crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Boil the fennel for 1 minute. Then put it in a bowl of cold water, drain and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper.
Lightly oil an oven-proof baking dish. Layer the fennel to a depth of 1 1/2 inches.
In a small bowl, stir together 3 Tbsp. olive oil, the fennel seed and garlic, smashed to a paste with a little salt, the pepper flakes and the chopped rosemary. Drizzle 2 Tbsp. of this mixture over the fennel. Sprinkle with the rosemary leaves. Cover with a layer of sliced or shredded mozzarella, then sprinkle with bread crumbs. Drizzle the remaining oil mixture, then sprinkle with Parmesan. (The dish may be prepared to this point several hours before baking, just cover and place in fridge.) Bake uncovered, for 20 -25 minutes, until nicely browned. Garnish with the chopped parsley or a mixture of the parsley and fennel fronds.