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Fennel Slaw with Prosciutto and Pistachio Pesto

Fennel is best served from fall to spring, when it’s in season, and there are a million different ways to take advantage of its crunchy sweetness. Here, the raw bulbs are sliced and dressed with a nutty pistachio pesto and salty bites of prosciutto. The flavors just pair so well together.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

Pistachio Pesto

2 cups (lightly packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley
3/4 cup pistachios, toasted (see Note, page 21)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
3 garlic cloves
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fennel Slaw

4 to 5 fennel bulbs (about 3 1/2 pounds)
4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced

Preparation

  1. For the Pistachio Pesto

    Step 1

    Combine the parsley, pistachios, thyme, and garlic cloves in the bowl of a food processor and blend until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually drizzle in the olive oil, processing until well blended. Season the pesto with salt and pepper to taste.

  2. For the Fennel Slaw

    Step 2

    Trim the tops and bottoms of the fennel bulbs, discarding the stalks and leafy tops. Halve the bulbs and cut out the cores, then slice the bulbs thinly crosswise. Place the sliced fennel in a large serving bowl. Add the pesto and toss to coat well. Tear the prosciutto into 1-inch pieces and add to the bowl. Gently toss to combine.

Reprinted with permission from Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2008 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.
TagsSlawSaladItalianEuropeanParsleyHerbs & SpicesPistachioNutFennelRoot VegetableVegetableProsciuttoHamMeatSideDinnerDairy FreeGluten FreeNo-CookFood ProcessorFallWinterCookbooks
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