I just tried this for the first time today and we loved it. Cooked fennel is so delicious! My fennel probably weighed 1-1/2 lbs so I used a 10" round casserole dish. I bought a 4 oz package of prosciutto (already thinly sliced and so thin they have to be separated by paper) and used half of it. Next time I make this I'll cut back on the butter as 1/3 cup is too much (I think). I made it ahead of time and when it came out of the oven we couldn't stop "testing" it. This is easy to make (probably can be made several hours in advance and then popped into the oven). Ann

Baked Fennel with Prosciutto

2-1/2 lbs fresh fennel, trimmed & cut into wedges

3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

1/3 cup melted butter

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Drop in the fennel wedges, and cook them at a gentle boil for 10 to 15 minutes, just until you can pierce them easily with a sharp knife tip. Lift out the wedges and drain well.

Cut the prosciutto slices crosswise into strips, about 1/4" wide. Set a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees.

Coat the bottom of a 9 x 13" baking dish with a tablespoon or two of the melted butter. Lay the fennel wedges in one layer, filling the dish, and scatter the prosciutto strips over and in between the wedges. Add salt and pepper. Drizzle the remaining butter all over. Finally, sprinkle over it the grated cheese, covering the whole dish evenly.

Bake the dish for 25 minutes, or until the top is crusty and golden and the edges of the prosciutto and fennel are also colored and crisp. Serves 6.

source: Lydia Bastianich