Cauliflower Pie

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PRESENTATION

Raise your hand if you love cauliflower... definitely a minority compared to those who don't have much of a liking for this vegetable, which is primarily an autumn and winter staple. Today we show you how to make this ingredient tasty, along with a savory pastry crust enriched with Grana Padano and Pecorino: cauliflower pie! This crispy shell holds a soft and delicate cream made from cauliflower and ricotta, which you can choose to enrich with diced cured meats or cheese, relying on your taste and using your imagination! Perfect as a single dish to share at the table or to take on a picnic, weather permitting!

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for the savory crust (for a 24 cm diameter pie pan)
Grana Padano PDO cheese 1.8 oz (50 g)
Type 00 flour 1 cup (130 g)
Pecorino cheese 1.8 oz (50 g)
Butter 7 tbsp (100 g) - cold
Whole milk 0.1 cup (30 g) - cold from the fridge
Fine salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
for the filling
Ricotta cheese 1.9 cups (465 g)
Cauliflower 7 cups (700 g)
Grana Padano PDO cheese 2.5 oz (70 g)
Eggs 6.2 oz (175 g) - about 3
Fine salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
for brushing
Egg yolks 1
Preparation

How to prepare Cauliflower Pie

To prepare the cauliflower pie, start by making the savory pastry dough. Pour the flour 1, Pecorino, and Grana Padano 2 into the bowl of a stand mixer. Then add the cold cubed butter from the refrigerator 3, a pinch of salt, and pepper.

Turn on the machine and work the mixture with the paddle attachment, adding the milk in a stream 4. Once you have a homogeneous mixture 5, transfer it to a surface and knead it just enough to form a dough (if it's too sticky, add a tiny bit of flour), then wrap it in plastic wrap 6 and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

In the meantime, take care of the cauliflower: remove the green leaves 7, the stem, and separate the florets 8. Then place them in a food processor 9

and run it until finely chopped 10. Pour the slightly beaten eggs into a bowl 11, place a sieve on top, and pour the ricotta inside 12.

Use a spatula to sift the ricotta 13, then work the mixture with an electric mixer 14 for a few minutes to obtain a smooth and homogeneous cream 15.

Then add the grated cheese 16, the chopped cauliflower 17, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Stir to combine everything 18, and set the filling aside.

Take your savory dough and roll it out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface. Once it reaches a thickness of approximately 1/4 inch, roll the dough around the rolling pin and transfer it into a 9 1/2-inch mold previously buttered and floured 20. Use your hands to properly fit the pastry to the edges of the pan 21

and trim the excess with a knife 22. At this point, pour the filling inside 23 and level it with a spatula 24. Bake in a preheated static oven at 392°F for 40 minutes. You can try baking in a fan oven at 356°F for about 30-35 minutes (you can do the toothpick test, and if the pie darkens too much on the surface, cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil); then remove the pie from the oven

and brush the surface of the pie with a previously beaten egg yolk 25. Bake again at 392°F for another 10 minutes, then let your cauliflower pie cool before unmolding 26 and serving it 27.

Storage

The cauliflower pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days! If you prefer, you can freeze it once cooked and after it has cooled.

Tip

Flavor the filling with some nutmeg and add some diced pancetta!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.