Cardoons with béchamel sauce, a side dish that my grandma Lina always prepared during the Christmas season (making them feels like receiving her hug again!), delicious with a crunchy crust and soft, tasty inside. Cardoons or ‘gobbi’ because they are very similar, so whether you use one or the other, the recipe is the same in execution. Cardoons with béchamel sauce are so delicious, it takes a bit of effort between cleaning and preparing them and the double cooking, but I assure you it’s worth it! In the recipe, I’ll also explain how to clean them perfectly.
And if you love grandma’s recipes, also try:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 3
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven, Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients for Cardoons with Béchamel Sauce
- 1.28 lbs cardoons (or ‘gobbi’ weighed after cleaning)
- 2 cups ml béchamel sauce
- 5 tbsps cheese (grated)
- 2 tbsps breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- to taste fine salt
- to taste pepper
- to taste water
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 glass apple cider vinegar
Useful Tools for Preparing Cardoons with Béchamel Sauce
- Basin
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Spoon
- Wooden Spoon
- Pot
- Baking Pan
This post contains affiliate links, including a set of baking pans that are perfect as a Christmas gift idea.
Preparation of Cardoons with Béchamel Sauce
Start by cleaning the cardoons (or gobbi): cut off the ends (about 0.8 inches) and the base, then cut each rib of the cardoon into at least 3 pieces, use the paring knife to remove all the filaments and the film on the inside, and as you clean them, throw them in a basin with plenty of water and vinegar.
Once all the cardoons are cleaned and have soaked in water and vinegar (this prevents them from darkening), drain them, rinse under running water, drain again and place them in a large pot, fill with water to cover, add salt, stir and bring to a vigorous boil; once it starts boiling, cook for 30-35 minutes.
Once boiled, drain them and put them in a clean bowl and proceed to the final preparation.
Place a tablespoon of béchamel in the bottom of the baking pan and spread it, make a layer of boiled cardoons, add salt, pepper, pour more béchamel (reserve some for the top) and spread it, add grated cheese and a drizzle of oil, continue with another 2 layers (depending on the size of the baking pan you will get more or fewer layers), on the last layer pour the remaining béchamel and cheese with breadcrumbs, mix well and spread over the entire surface, add a drizzle of oil, a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper.
Preheat the oven to 482°F and when hot, bake the cardoons with béchamel sauce, cook for 40-45 minutes, at the end of cooking it should have a deliciously golden crust, once cooked, take them out, let them cool slightly and serve, taste the goodness, creamy inside and crunchy crust outside! Enjoy!
