MOLTEN CHEESE LAVA

Here comes comfort food by Ottolenghi. This Cauliflower Cheese Pie was born out of a fridge raid during lockdown. Published in the book „Ottolenghi Test Kitchen - Shelf Love"

Warm and happy bellies guaranteed.


Ingredients

700g cauliflower, trimmed and cut into bite-sized florets

6 sheets feuilles de filo

2 tbsp mild curry powder

100g unsalted butter

3 tbsp olive oil

75g plain flour

675ml whole milk

2 garlic cloves, crushed

3 tsp mustard

150g mature cheddar, grated

1 organic lemon, skin only

parsley, chopped


23cm spring-form cake tin



Preparation

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 C fan. Put baking paper to an oven tray and add cauliflower florets. Drizzle with olive oil and curry powder + salt. Put in the oven for 20min. Remove and set aside.

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  1. Meanwhile melt 50g butter and add a bit olive oil on low heat. Brush a 23cm spring-form cake tin with a bit melted butter. Now line the base and sides of a 23cm spring-form cake tin with greaseproof paper.

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  1. Put 50g butter in a medium saucepan on a medium heat and, once melted, whisk in the flour and cook for a minute or two.

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  1. Reduce the heat to low and add the milk a little at a time, whisking to prevent lumps, until all the milk has been incorporated and the sauce is smooth.

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  1. Cook until thickened slightly, then turn off the heat and add the garlic, mustard, cheese, salt&pepper and stir until the cheese has melted.

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  1. Optional cover the filo sheets with a sheet of damp kitchen towel. Working with one filo sheet at a time and brush 1 sheet filo with melted butter.

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  1. Then drape the filo buttered side up into the lined tin, pushing it down gently to fit and leaving an overhang. Repeat with the remaining filo sheets, each time rotating the tin slightly so the overhang drapes over the sides at a different angle.

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  1. Add half of the béchamel to the cake tin.

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  1. Cauliflower florets on top

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  1. Add the remaining bechamel

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  1. Then fold the pastry overhang to the middle. Brush with melted butter, lift the tin on to an oven tray and bake for 30 minutes.

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  1. Using a kitchen towel and remove the outer circle of the spring-form tin and return the pie to the oven for another 20-25 minutes

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  1. Remove from the oven. Add lemon peel and chopped parsley on top. Let it rest for 10min and serve with a green salad. ENJOY

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