Simple and incredibly delicious, this dish from Puglia can be served either as antipasti or a hearty main course. It may also be made with luganega sausage but this is usually hard to get outside of Italy.

Sanni

Ingredients (for 2 to 3 servings):

• 3 fennel salsiccias (or luganega)
• olive oil
• 1 shallot, halved and finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove, cut in halves
• juice of 1 lemon
• zest of 1/2 Lemon
• 1 large or 2 medium-size potatoes, well washed, halved and cut into thick slices
• 1 fennel, cut into strips and the leaves finely chopped
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 shot of Pernod
• freshly ground pepper, salt

Preparation:

1. Heat up some olive oil in a frying pan. Fry the whole sausages on medium heat from all sides until nicely brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. On medium heat, fry the shallot until soft (but not brown). Add the garlic, the potatoe halves and the fennel strips. Cut the sausages into smaller pieces and add as well. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the lemon juice and zest, the bay leaves and the Pernod. Season with pepper and salt.
3. Cover and let simmer on medium to low heat for approximately 20 minutes.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Transfer the food into an oven casserole, cover and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven (careful when opening the lid – hot vapor!) and serve immediately.