Vegan Potato & Fennel Al Forno

A potato and fennel al forno is a perfect side dish for your Christmas menus and dinner parties, especially when paired with a glass of Equinox Original Kombucha. This scrumptious recipe is vegan, gluten free, full of flavour and wonderfully creamy so will be sure to please all dietary requirements and taste palettes at your table.

Serves 6-8

Cooking time: 2 hours and 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 kg potatoes, sliced
• 1 tbsp. rapeseed oil
• 2 medium onions, finely sliced
• 1 bulb fennel, finely sliced
• 8 cloves garlic, crushed & finely diced
• 600ml almond milk
• 200ml vegan crème fraiche
• 6 tbsps. nutritional yeast
• 2x 10cm springs of fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp. mustard powder
• Good pinch of salt
• Lots of twists of black pepper
• Breadcrumb topping
• 35g dried gluten free breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
• Pinch of salt
• Few twists of black pepper

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C fan.
2. Use approximately a 28cm in diameter by 5cm deep baking dish.
3. Finely slice the onion and the bulb of fennel.
4. Peel the potatoes and slice them to about 4mm thick using either the slicing blade of a food processor or with a knife. Cover and set to one-side.
5. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and gently sauté the onions, garlic and fennel over a medium heat for 15 minutes until soft and tender.
6. Pour the almond milk into a saucepan with the nutritional yeast, mustard powder, salt, pepper, bay leaf and fresh rosemary. Heat gently over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, before adding the oat crème fraiche. Continue to heat for a further 5 minutes. Then remove from the heat.
7. In the deep baking dish, alternately layer the slices of potato, onion and fennel. Finish with layer of overlapping potatoes. Carefully pour over the milk and crème fraiche mixture.
8. In a separate bowl mix the breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast and seasoning. Scatter the breadcrumbs evenly over the top of the potatoes.
9. Cover the oven-proof dish in foil before placing in the oven on the middle shelf.
10. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 50 minutes until tender and golden on top.

Serve immediately.

Recipe by Healthy Twists