cauliflower sformato

sformato di cavolfiore

8 to 10 servings

For a pretty presentation, you can bake the sformato, which is essentially a savory custard, in a ring mold.

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Ingredients

For the béchamel:
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons plus 3⁄4 teaspoon unbleached all-purpose flour
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
For the cauliflower and custard:
1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 1/2 pounds)
2 large eggs
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup fine bread crumbs

Instructions

Make the béchamel: Combine milk, butter and flour in a heavy medium saucepan; bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, first with a whisk, then with a wooden spoon, until sauce is very thick, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove béchamel from heat, strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, and cover surface with plastic wrap to keep skin from forming.

Cook the cauliflower: Remove any leaves from cauliflower, leaving core intact. Cut cauliflower into quarters and put in a large pot. Add water to come up 1 inch. Cook, covered, over high heat until cauliflower is tender, about 20 minutes; then drain.

Trim tough stems from cauliflower, then, working with 1 quarter at a time, wrap cauliflower in a large, clean dishtowel (do not use a new, unwashed, colored dishtowel) and, over sink, twist dishtowel until all excess liquid is removed from cauliflower. Pulse cauliflower in a food processor until finely chopped.

Make the custard: Heat oven to 325°. Beat eggs in a large bowl; add béchamel and whisk to combine. Add cauliflower, cheese, salt and pepper; stir to combine.

Butter a 1 1 ⁄2- to 2-quart baking dish (or a similar size ring mold) with 2 tablespoons butter (it is important to use all of the butter) and coat with bread crumbs. Add cauliflower mixture. Bake until sformato sets and lightly browns, about 40 minutes. Remove the sformato from oven; let rest for 15 to 20 minutes, then unmold (optional). Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe by Marco Canora

Photo by Nina Choi

November 2009

keywords:

vegetarian, thanksgiving, sformata, cauliflower, parmigiano-reggiano, parmesan

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Comments [3] | Add your comment

Nice recipe. I used a small springform pan. It was attractive.

Posted: January 01, 2012 21:18 by blacksheep
Unique and very good. Took about an hour to make--not difficult.
Posted: November 25, 2010 07:38 by jorso47
i,ve tried this receipe it,s very good and easy to make
Posted: September 05, 2010 12:36 by drbroccolli