I love it when I stumble across recipes that are completely new to me and this is one of those. I was browsing through an old La Cucina Italiana magazine when I spotted this most delightful looking thing that looked like it could almost be the Italian version of a souffle crossed with a cauliflower cheese. I had never made one before (or dare I say – heard of one) and it looked like it might work well with the roast beef I was going to pop in the oven for dinner.
After doing a little research I discovered that a Sformata is a molded dish that is typically made with a vegetable (in this case cauliflower) and a bechamel parmesan sauce. It can be served with an accompanying sauce – I think anything would work beautifully but a basic tomato passata immediately springs to mind. I would describe it as a heavier and heartier version of a souffle with a sinfully good crust that is created by coating the mold in butter and breadcrumbs.
In the end I did serve it with my dinner (roasted scotch fillet with root vegetables and a salsa verde) and it was exceptional – so good that I didn’t want to eat anything else. I wanted to shout ‘Sformata – where have you been all my life’ but I was taught not to speak when my mouth is full.
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
Cauliflower
1 medium head cauliflower (about 1.1 kilos/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
Bechamel
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.
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.
Heat oven to 325c/160f. 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 – I used a cake tin with a pattern in it) 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.
Notes: I actually steamed the cauliflower which saved me from having to wring it out in a teatowel to remove any excess liquid – this method worked very well. I also turned up the heat to 400c/200f in the last 5 minutes of cooking – just to get a nice golden brown colour.
Source: Marco Canora for La Cucina Italiana
© 2011, Michelle. All rights reserved.
