The best way to preserve wild fennel is to blanch and freeze it, so our recipe begins with the fennel previously boiled and promptly defrosted for the occasion.

Chop the boiled wild fennel and transfer it into a bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Add the beaten egg and a spoonful of grated Parmesan into the fennel bowl, then mix with a fork.

Adjust the consistency of the dough with the breadcrumbs, and form the flat meatballs, which must be soft but keep their shape.

Heat about an inch of oil in a pan and when it is very hot, at about 180°C (you can check the oil temperature with the apple trick), gently slide in the meatballs.

Cook, or rather fry, the meatballs for a couple of minutes on both sides, and then drain them on a paper towel.

Serve the meatballs warm, or at room temperature, accompanying them with a fresh salad.