Macaroni Chesse, Cavolo Nero & Roasted Cabbage Bake

 

Macaroni Chesse, Cavolo Nero & Roasted Cabbage Bake. 🫕🧀🥬🌿 recipe video here 

Swap out for alternative cabbages / greens depending on the season. This will 💯 become a favourite. Method cont.d in comments, full recipe on my blog. Please make it: 

INGREDIENTS: 

3 tbsp olive oil 

1 1/2 tsp sea salt flakes 

1 large sweetheart cabbage, cut into four equal wedges 

200 g Cavalo Nero (stalks removed but retained and finally chopped) 

1 large onion peeled and finely chopped 

75 g butter 

75 g plain flour 

1.1 L hot milk (whole milk best, semi-skimmed if you prefer)

150 g macaroni 

Tbsp Dijon mustard 

1 garlic clove finely grated 

125g mature cheddar or Gruyère, coarsely grated

50 g Parmesan, finely grated 

1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper 

Few sprigs of time, leaves only 

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

METHOD: Preheat oven to 200°C fan / 220°c conventional.

Drizzle a stove top and oven proof casserole dish with 1 tbsp olive oil and drizzle the remaining olive oil and half of the sea salt flakes all over the cabbage wedges. Rub well, place the cabbage wedges into the casserole dish and bake in your preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until charred all over, giving them a quick turn after 20 minutes. Place a separate pan with boiling salted hot water on the stove.

Remove the cabbage from the dish and place them on a plate. Leave to one side. 

Using oven, carefully gloves pop the casserole dish on the stove and melt the butter over a low heat. Once melted, add the finally chopped cahili nero stalks and onion to the pan along with the remaining salt. Soften over a low heat for 8 to 10 minutes then add the flour to the pan, stir well and cook down for a minute or two. Slowly start whisking the hot milk into the softened vegetables and flour and keep whisking until it just starts to bubble and thicken. Take it off the heat, stir in the garlic and Dijon mustard. 

Add the cavolo nero and macaroni to the boiling salted water in the other pan on the stove and boil for 2 mins less than the pasta cooking time suggests (the macaroni should need cooking for no more than 5 minutes). 

Stir most of the cheeses into the béchamel, retaining some for topping with later, season with the black pepper and the thyme leaves. 

Drain the Cavalo Nero and macaroni through a colander getting rid of as much excess water as possible then add the blanched greens and al dente pasta into the cheesy béchamel sauce. Stir gently, pop the roasted cabbage wedges back on top, sprinkle over the remaining cheeses making sure to get some on top of any exposed béchamel, sprinkle over the sesame seeds and place back in the oven on the middle shelf for another 20 to 25 minutes until caramelised, bubbly, and crispy on top.