Baked Colorful Cauliflowers and Fontina are a truly delicious side dish that can also become a main course, given the consistency of the ingredients that compose it. The process takes an hour in total, but nothing could be simpler in execution, especially if you buy the bechamel ready-made. If not, I recommend making it yourself, and if you’re not very experienced in the kitchen, my My Bechamel Sauce, which is more of a milk cream, is lighter and more delicate. Not only are they beautiful to serve, as they brighten the table with their brilliant colors, but they’re also delicious and especially healthy, as part of the cruciferous family, rich in antioxidants, vitamin A, and many other beneficial properties. So never let them be missing from your tables during their entire seasonal period.
If you love cabbages, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflowers, then don’t miss the following recipes:
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter
Ingredients
- 9 oz green cauliflower, cleaned
- 9 oz yellow cauliflower, cleaned
- 9 oz purple cauliflower, cleaned
- 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt and pepper
- 1 cup bechamel sauce
- 3 oz fontina
- 3 oz grated parmesan
Tools
- 1 Baking dish
- 1 Saucepan
How to Prepare Baked Colorful Cauliflowers with Fontina
First, clean the cauliflowers, weigh them, and take as many florets as indicated in the quantities. Do this with one colored cauliflower at a time to avoid mixing them. Finally, wash them well, soaking them for a few minutes, so when rinsed, they lose any impurities.
In a tall saucepan, bring some water to a boil, and when it’s hot, drop in the yellow/orange cauliflowers first. Drain them while still al dente (so they can finish cooking in the oven without falling apart), with a slotted spoon, so you don’t have to boil more water. Now, cook the green cauliflowers in the same way, and finally the purple ones. By doing this, you’ll avoid the darker cauliflowers staining the lighter ones with their color.
Put a tablespoon of oil on the bottom of the baking dish, arrange the cauliflowers in strips of the same color, and spread a layer of bechamel sauce over them. Season with two more tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and if you don’t eat unsalted like me, adjust with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with coarsely grated parmesan, add pieces of fontina, bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (fan mode), and cook for about 20 minutes. Depending on your taste, before turning off, give it a few minutes under the grill.
Serve your Baked Colorful Cauliflowers and Fontina a few minutes after taking them out of the oven, but still very hot so they remain stringy at the table.
Tips, Variations, Notes, and Storage
Cauliflowers keep cooked in the refrigerator for at least two days even if unseasoned.
However, I recommend placing them in a glass or ceramic container with a hermetic seal.
If they are already seasoned with all the ingredients, you can leave them in the baking dish you will use to cook them, but at least cover it with plastic wrap if it does not have its own lid.
In this way, you can also freeze them, but cook them directly in the oven without thawing as they would lose consistency.
