Mangia Con Elena

  Pasta with Italian Sausage and Fennel/Pasta con Salsiccia e Finocchio IG @ mangia.con.elena Fennel is as Mediterranean  as the sea itself. Eaten raw it has a slightly black licorice flavour and a crunchy texture. When cooked, the flavour becomes  more delicate and the texture is softened. It can be sautéed, baked, braised and added to pastas, soups and stews.  Fennel tea is a great digestive tea when your tummy is feeling upset.  Fennel  is a large part of the Italian Mediterranean diet as it is packed with  plant based nutrients and aids in digestion, bloating and inflammation.  My mother always served fennel as part of the antipasto platter that stayed on the table throughout our meal. We snacked on it between courses and afterwards. Another exceptional pairing with fennel is Italian sausage when cooked with caramelized fennel, toasted tomato paste, spicy peperoncino and a good sprinkle of parmigiano reggiano. I first tried this pasta dish several years back and it quickly became a