The BLACK KALE FLANS WITH PECORINO CREAM are a perfect starter, simple and delicate, to begin any lunch, whether with family or with demanding guests. Black kale, a vegetable once grown only in Tuscany but now available almost everywhere, gives this dish a particular aroma that pairs wonderfully with the intense taste of pecorino.
Making these flans, especially if you follow the step-by-step photo recipe below, is really very easy. The only effort — which is nonetheless simple — is cleaning and boiling the kale to make a bright green pesto that, together with the few other ingredients, will form the patties. If you prefer, you can prepare the pesto in advance and assembling the dish will then be very quick.
Serve the flans hot and add the pecorino cream just before bringing them to the table. You will immediately see, from your friends’ smiles, how much they appreciate their goodness.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 3 flans
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 3.53 oz black kale
- 3 walnut kernels (or 3 almonds)
- 1/4 cup pecorino romano (or Parmesan)
- to taste salt
- to taste extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp water
- 2.65 oz instant potato flakes
- 2 egg whites
- 3.38 fl oz milk
- 2 1/4 tbsp butter (melted)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- 1.69 fl oz milk
- 1 cup pecorino romano
Tools
- 1 Pot
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Bowl
- 3 Ramekins disposable aluminum
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 Hand whisk
PREPARATION: BLACK KALE FLANS
Clean the kale by removing the central ribs from the leaves and wash them under running water. Dry thoroughly and boil the ribs for 5 minutes in plenty of boiling water, then add the leaves and boil for another 5 minutes.
Drain the kale into ice water to stop the cooking and preserve the bright color, then let it cool slightly.
In a food processor place the well‑drained kale, the walnuts and the pecorino and pulse until chopped.
Add salt, the water and enough olive oil to obtain a soft, homogeneous mixture.
In a bowl put the instant potato flakes (the ones used for mashed potatoes) together with the grated Parmesan, the egg whites, the milk, the melted and cooled butter, the kale pesto, salt and pepper. Quickly mix everything with a spoon until you obtain a homogeneous mixture.
Butter and dust disposable ramekins with breadcrumbs and fill them with the mixture up to the rim. Compact and level well and bake in a preheated static oven at 356°F for about 20 minutes.
In a small saucepan put the milk and the grated pecorino. Turn the heat to low and, stirring constantly with a whisk, let it thicken.
If you see it does not thicken to a béchamel-like consistency, add 1 tablespoon of cold milk in which you have dissolved 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Then return to the heat and cook for another 2 minutes.
Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, then unmold your flans by running a knife around the edges to help release them.
Plate the black kale flans, accompany them with the warm pecorino cream and enjoy.
