The baked pasta with cauliflower is a true culinary hug, capable of winning over even the most selective and demanding palates.
A rich first course where the cauliflower is first blanched and then combined with an irresistible creamy filling of béchamel, cooked ham, and mozzarella.
But the true stroke of genius, the one that makes the difference, is the finishing: the oven gratin. It’s what transforms it into a golden marvel, giving the surface that crunchy, appetizing crust that will make you fight for the last bite.
A perfect contrast between the golden exterior and the soft, indulgent heart. In short, if the classic Neapolitan pasta with cauliflower is exquisite, this baked version is simply spectacular.
Now take a minute to read the recipe and then…let’s cook and eat!!
See also
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 11.3 oz pasta
- 1 cauliflower (medium)
- 1.25 cups béchamel sauce
- 3.5 oz cooked ham
- 7 oz mozzarella (fior di latte or provola)
- 1.4 oz grated Parmesan cheese
- to taste black pepper (ground)
- to taste breadcrumbs
- to taste extra virgin olive oil (or butter)
Tools
- 2 Pots
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Skimmer
- 1 Baking Dish
Steps
Preparing the baked pasta with cauliflower is very simple and quite fast if you cook the pasta and cauliflower simultaneously in separate pots and decide to use ready-made béchamel sauce. Otherwise, you will need a small pot and some extra minutes to prepare the béchamel sauce, for which you can find the recipe HERE.
Once the cauliflower is washed, separate the florets and blanch them in salted boiling water for 10 minutes or until a knife easily pierces them without them becoming mushy. In the meantime, also cook the pasta until al dente.
In a large bowl, gather the blanched cauliflower and well-drained pasta, cooked ham, béchamel sauce, grated cheese, and a sprinkle of black pepper. Mix to combine all the flavors.
Add the mozzarella, previously drained and cut into chunks. Mix again to evenly distribute the mozzarella in the filling.
Now transfer everything into a baking dish where you’ve spread some béchamel sauce on the bottom.
Finish by adding breadcrumbs and more grated cheese on top, and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil (or butter, if you prefer).
Bake in a preheated static oven at 392°F for 25 minutes, then turn on the grill for the desired browning (5 to 10 minutes).
Serve your baked pasta with cauliflower still hot to fully enjoy the crispy crust and gooey filling😉.
