½cup(50grams)parmesangrated, or dairy-free cheese (optional)
Preheat the oven to 400°F or 200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.Rinse the fennel, pat it dry, then cut off the fronds and set them aside for garnishing. Cut off and discard the top part of the stalks. Cut the fennel bulb in half, then slice it into wedges of about the same size.Tip: there's no need to remove the outer layers unless they are heavily bruised.
Transfer the cut fennel to the tray, season with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and toss it with your hands, and arrange it flat on a single layer.
Bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until very tender.
Arrange on a serving platter and sprinkle with finely chopped fennel fronds (or dill) and a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil.
VARIATION WITH PARMESAN
Follow the same recipe as above, then when the fennel is cooked, take it out of the oven, sprinkle it with a generous amount of grated parmesan cheese (or dairy-free cheese), and put it back in the oven set to "broiler" function.Broil for 5 to 10 minutes until the parmesan melts, and the fennel is golden-brown.