Turkish cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

Cauliflower Gratin

Cauliflower baked under béchamel with kaşar cheese and tomatoes – a classic oven dish of Istanbul home cooking.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 1 cauliflower (approx. 900 g)
• 50 g butter
• 50 g flour
• 600 ml milk
• 200 g kaşar cheese
• 3 tomatoes
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tbsp parsley
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Break the cauliflower into florets and cook in boiling salted water for 7–8 min. until a knife tip slides in easily; drain and let drain well. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
2. Melt butter in a pot, stir in the flour and sweat for 2 min. over constant stirring without letting it take on color.
3. Gradually pour in the milk while stirring vigorously and simmer the sauce gently for 5–6 min. until it coats the back of a spoon; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
4. Grate the kaşar cheese and melt half into the hot béchamel; slice the tomatoes thinly, chop the parsley.
5. Place the cauliflower in a buttered baking dish, pour the cheese béchamel over it, lay the tomato slices on top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese; bake for 25–30 min. until the surface is golden-brown in patches.
6. Let rest for 5 min., sprinkle with the parsley and serve straight from the dish.