Potato & Artichoke al Forno

Indulge in a comforting Italian dish of Potato & Artichoke al Forno, where tender baby potatoes and savory fennel meld beautifully with creamy double cream and Parmesan. Ideal for a cozy weeknight dinner or a special gathering.

• 800 g baby new potatoes
• 2 large bulbs of fennel
• 1 jar artichoke hearts in oil
• 50 g Parmesan cheese
• 100 ml double cream

Method

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.

2. 2

   Halve any larger new potatoes. Trim the fennel, pick and reserve any leafy tops, finely slice the stalky part, then halve the bulb and cut into 1 cm slices.

3. 3

   Put it all into a 30cm x 35cm roasting tray, halve the artichokes and add with 2 tablespoons of oil from their jar, as well as a really good pinch of black pepper, then toss it all together.

4. 4

   Pour in 300ml of water, cover the tray tightly with tin foil, and bake for 1 hour.

5. 5

   In a bowl, finely grate half the Parmesan into the cream and loosen with a splash of water.

6. 6

   When the time's up, remove the tray from the oven, discard the foil, spoon over the cream mixture and finely grate over the remaining Parmesan.

7. 7

   Bake for a final 20 minutes, or until golden and cooked through, then sprinkle over any reserved fennel tops before serving.