Today I want to propose a recipe inspired by an occasion in Turin, during a vintage car fair that my husband and I attend every year around February, pandemic aside! Yes, one evening, seated at a typical Turin restaurant, I chose the Jerusalem artichoke flans, extraordinary tubers that are unfortunately often underrated. Their taste is very reminiscent of artichokes, while their appearance resembles potatoes. These flans captivated me so much that I decided to prepare them myself when I returned to Sicily! Luck was on my side because Jerusalem artichokes are not easily found, at least around here, but I knew that my husband’s uncle has always cultivated them, and so, thanks to his generosity and availability, I brought a truly sublime dish to the table! The particularity of Jerusalem artichokes, besides their flavor, lies in their high fiber content and modest starch content, thus having a probiotic effect: for these characteristics, Jerusalem artichoke is a boon for the diabetic diet and, being also low-calorie, for those who want to follow a low-fat diet. In short, not trying them would really be a shame, and these flans will win you over with their delicacy and texture! They are baked in a bain-marie, which keeps them moist and soft! A scenic and refined second course served with a creamy stracchino and poppy seeds, for a special light note of contrast!

All “vegetarian” recipes are without meat and/or fish (N.B. other animal protein-based foods, such as eggs and cheese, may be used).

Difficulty: Easy
Cost: Medium
Preparation time: 30 Minutes
Portions: 6 ramekins
Cooking methods: Oven
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients for the flans:

1.5 lbs Jerusalem artichokes (already cleaned)
1 potato
2 eggs
1.8 oz Grana Padano DOP (grated)
2 tablespoons milk (as needed)
1 bunch parsley
1 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
0.35 oz butter
to taste salt
3.5 oz stracchino
1.4 fl oz milk
1 pinch salt
to taste pepper
to taste poppy seeds
A few leaves parsley

Preparation:

To prepare the flans, start by cutting the already peeled Jerusalem artichokes into pieces (fig. 1).
Do the same with the potato and combine them (fig. 2).
Boil them gently in a pot with plenty of lightly salted water without a lid for about 15’/18′. I added some rosemary leaves, but it’s absolutely optional (fig. 3).
Drain them as soon as they appear tender. In these cases, just pierce them with the prongs of a fork to understand the degree of cooking. Let them cool for a few minutes and transfer them to the bowl of a mixer or food processor (fig. 4).
Blend intermittently with 1 ladle of cooking water until you obtain a soft puree. Then add the chopped parsley and adjust the salt (fig. 5).
Also incorporate the eggs (fig. 6).
Finally, add the grated Parmesan, nutmeg, milk only if necessary, and blend intermittently (fig. 7).
You should obtain a rather coarse yet homogeneous mixture (fig. 8).
Then prepare the ceramic molds or, if you don’t have them, even disposable aluminum ones, brush them with a little butter and use a ladle to pour the Jerusalem artichoke and potato mixture into each mold, leaving half an inch from the edge (fig. 9).
Place the molds inside a baking dish that can hold them all closely together. Fill it with hot, not boiling, water up to 2/3 of their height. Put in the oven and bake in a bain-marie at 350°F for about 40′-45′. After this time, move the molds to the oven rack and activate the grill mode at 390°F for another 6′ (fig. 10).
Once cooked, remove the Jerusalem artichoke and potato flans from the oven and let them cool slightly (fig. 11).
Meanwhile, prepare the stracchino cream by working the cheese in a bowl with the milk, stirring with a hand whisk until it becomes a smooth and fluid cream. Add a pinch of pepper, adjust the salt, and stir again (fig. 12).
When they have reached room temperature, unmold them using the blade of a knife to better detach them from the molds, but in theory, once turned over, they will slide onto your plate without difficulty. Plate them, pouring the stracchino cream over the flans to taste and decorating with poppy seeds and more parsley.
And voilà… the Jerusalem artichoke flans with stracchino cream are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appetit from La Cucina di FeFé!