Baked mezze maniche with cauliflower and bacon is a complete and delicious first course that will make you lick your lips and surprise you with its simplicity and, above all, its goodness. A recipe that will please the whole family, made in no time and with simple ingredients. We can also use leftover boiled cauliflower or other vegetables of choice. It can be prepared well in advance because it will become even tastier over time.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 5/6 people
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz Cauliflower
- 1 zucchini (can be replaced with other seasonal vegetables)
- 3.5 oz Smoked bacon
- 3.5 oz Grated cheese
- 2.5 cups Milk
- 2 tbsps Butter
- 3 tbsps All-purpose flour
- to taste Nutmeg
- to taste Fine salt
- 8.8 oz Mezze Maniche Rigate
Preparation
1) Bring water to a boil. Meanwhile, take the amount of cauliflower florets you will use, wash them. As soon as the water boils, add the cauliflower florets, cover and let them blanch for just 5 minutes, then drain them immediately and set them aside. When they are warm, crumble them coarsely.
2) Prepare the béchamel sauce by melting the butter in a large pan over low heat. When it has melted, add all the flour, previously sifted, and stir immediately for about 30 seconds to allow the flour to toast.
3) At this point, add the cold milk and mix with a steel whisk or a wooden utensil. Continue to stir the béchamel occasionally until it begins to thicken. Turn off the heat and set aside. Keep the flame low.
4) Boil the mezze maniche rigate in plenty of salted water for half their cooking time, then drain them perfectly. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 392°F. Cut the zucchini, which you have already washed and removed the waste parts, into cubes. Added raw, the zucchini cubes will give a pleasant crunchy touch to the dish.
5) Transfer the pasta to the pan with the béchamel and mix them together so that the sauce covers and fills the mezze maniche perfectly. Also, add the other filling ingredients – zucchini cubes, bacon, and cheese – one at a time and mix; in this way, they will distribute more evenly.
6) Bake in the hot oven at mid-height for about 15 minutes.Bon appetit
