Baked Shells with Broccoli, Ham and Cheesey Cauliflower Sauce
What is it about baked pasta cooking in the oven that appeals to most people? For me, it has to be one of best comfort foods out there. Childhood memories are resuscitated in an instant and the anticipation of sinking your teeth into the ooey-gooey cheese sauce all the while hoping the dish is cool enough to eat without burning your tongue. That’s a food memory from my past, what’s yours?
Serves 6
adapted from Martha Stewart Living
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small head cauliflower, cored and chopped (3 cups)
6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
4 medium shallots, roughly chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons flour
4 cups skim milk
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups pecorino cheese, grated
1/2 lb. medium pasta shells
1/4 lb. sliced smoked ham, chopped
1 medium bunch broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets (5 cups)
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add cauliflower, garlic, shallots and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook until softened but not brown (10 minutes), stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with flour and stir to coat well. Gradually stir in milk and bring to a boil. reduce heat and gently simmer until cauliflower is very soft, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and transfer all to a blender. Purée with nutmeg and half the pecorino until smooth.
Preheat oven to 200c (400f). Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook shells for 5 minutes until slightly tender but not fully cooked. Drain well and return to pot. Add ham, broccoli and cauliflower sauce; toss to combine. Transfer to an ovenproof baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining pecorino and bake until bubbling in the center for about 30 minutes.
The Culinary Chase’s Note: While this is a hearty dish and love the veggies in it, I found the steps somewhat time consuming. I also felt that 4 teaspoons of flour to 4 cups of skim milk made the sauce thin (I added more flour). Next time I will cook the cauliflower in the microwave just until it gets a bit soft then toss it into the saucepan with the garlic and shallots. The cooking time was more than what is indicated plus the teaspoon of oil wasn’t enough to keep the cauliflower from starting to brown as it was turning out to be a dry-fry. I added a 1/4 cup water and placed a lid on the saucepan to help with the cooking process. I used a hand blender for ease of use not to mention one less thing to clean up afterwards! The sauce and vegetables were nicely caught in the belly of the medium shells…very nice.