Pasta Alla Palermitana

Method

1. Wash the wild fennel thoroughly under running water and remove the tough stems, keeping only the tender leaves.
2. Take a piece of stale bread, remove the crust (save the crust for another use), and crumble the bread into small, coarse crumbs with your hands.
3. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and toast them until they are golden and crispy. Set aside.
4. In the same pan, add a little more olive oil and one clove of garlic (finely chopped). Sauté until fragrant and golden.
5. Add the tomato passata, a pinch of salt, some pepper, and a few fresh basil leaves. Let the sauce simmer for about 10–15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the prepared fennel and cook for 5–10 minutes until tender. Drain and immediately transfer to ice water to preserve the green color.
7. Squeeze the excess water from the fennel, then chop it roughly.
8. In a separate small pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil. Add the chopped fennel and a pinch of salt, and sauté for 2–3 minutes.
9. Cook the pasta (preferably pennette) in the boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving some pasta water.
10. Add the drained pasta to the tomato sauce. Toss well, adding a little pasta water if needed to reach a creamy consistency.
11. Serve the pasta on a plate, top with the sautéed fennel, and finish with a generous sprinkle of the crispy breadcrumbs.