truffled cauliflower gratin

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 7 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 5 ounces truffled pecorino cheese, grated, or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 large head cauliflower, cored and separated into florets
• 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, or to taste

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 45 mins Ready Time: 1 hr


• preheat oven to 425 degrees f (220 degrees c). butter a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter.
• melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. whisk flour into butter; cook and stir until raw flour taste cooks off, 2 to 3 minutes.
• gradually whisk milk into flour mixture. increase heat to medium-high; cook and stir until mixture thickens and comes to a simmer, 5 to 10 minutes. stir truffled pecorino cheese, salt, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg into milk mixture until cheese sauce is thick.
• bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add cauliflower and cook until slightly tender, about 6 minutes. drain and transfer cauliflower to prepared baking dish. spread cheese sauce evenly over cauliflower. dust with bread crumbs, parmigiano-reggiano cheese; drizzle olive oil over the top and sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne pepper.
• bake in the preheated oven until browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes. garnish with chopped fresh chives.