Fusilli cheese casserole with cauliflower

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 1 small cauliflower
• 300 g water
• 6 g chicken broth
• 100g fusilli
• 200 g Pecorino, alternatively mountain cheese
• 2 tbsp olive oil, cold squeezed
• 80 g cooking water from the pasta
• 20 g tomato juice
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp Italian herbs, frozen or dried
• 1 tbsp Marsala
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 small spring onion(s), only the green part
• n. B. almond flakes

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 45 minutes

Recipe from Basilicata, Italy.

Wash and trim the cauliflower, separate the florets, leaving about 3 cm of stem on, from the main stalk. Cut off the lower end and peel the lower part. Coarsely grate all but 6 of the larger florets. Bring the water to a boil, dissolve the chicken stock in it, and blanch the 6 florets for 4 minutes, keeping them warm. Then cook the fusilli al dente according to the package instructions. Strain and reserve the stock. Mix the ingredients for the sauce. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (convection oven). Wash the green part of the spring onion and cut it into fine rolls. Brush a baking dish with butter and add half of the fusilli, cover with the grated cauliflower, and sprinkle with half of the grated Pecorino. Spread the remaining fusilli on top, drizzle with the sauce and olive oil, and sprinkle with the rest of the Pecorino. Bake the casserole on the middle rack at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) until the cheese has melted and spread into the fusilli. Transfer the casserole to a serving dish and add the cauliflower florets. Garnish, serve warm, and enjoy.