I love my avocado toast as much as the next person, but, I also love Ina Garten and fully trust her judgment. Better known as the Barefoot Contessa, this best-selling author and chef also has some incredibly easy but unique recipes to help shake you out of your food rut.
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While Garten admittedly loves avocado toast too, she’s created a new superfood recipe featuring an unlikely veggie, the cauliflower. Cauliflower, when roasted and combined with gooey Gruyere, salty prosciutto, and creamy mascarpone has a rich flavor with lots of nutritional benefits. It may even become an alternative to your typical snack of avocado toast.
How To Make Ina Garten’s Cauliflower Toast
The process is simple. First, you’ll remove the green stem from the cauliflower, and cut out the core. Place the florets onto the baking sheet and add a generous amount of olive oil. Add a little heat with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, and put in the oven for about 30 minutes. To easily cut a cauliflower, check out Garten’s helpful video below.
After the cauliflower has had time to cool, put in a bowl and add room-temp mascarpone. It’s important that the mascarpone is room temperature so that it’ll mix well. Add the gruyere, prosciutto, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well, then add to your lightly toasted bread. If you can, avoid white bread, because it won’t hold the mixture well. A hearty country loaf will do better, as it’ll have a more firm texture. Add the mixture to the toast, sprinkle on some paprika, and put them into the oven under the broiler for about 3 minutes. Watch them carefully, so that they don’t burn.
Then, after removing your toast from the oven add fresh chives, parmesan cheese, and sea salt. Enjoy!
Ina Garten’s Cauliflower Toast
Ingredients
- 1 small head cauliflower (2 pounds)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12 ounces Italian mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- 6 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
- 6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 6 large slices of country-style bread
- Paprika
- Freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
- Flaked sea salt, such as Maldon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Turn the cauliflower upside down on a cutting board. Cut off and discard most but not all of the stems then cut the florets into small, ½ inch clusters. Place the florets on a sheet pan, toss them with olive oil, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper, and spread them out in a single layer. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing two or three times until the florets are tender and randomly browned. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Set the oven to broil and arrange a rack 6 inches below the heat.
- Transfer the florets to a large mixing bowl and add the mascarpone, stirring to coat the florets evenly. Stir in the Gruyere, prosciutto, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- Toast the bread in a toaster until lightly browned, and place in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with foil. Mound the cauliflower mixture evenly on each toast and dust with paprika. Broil the toasts for 2 to 4 minutes, until browned and bubbling. (Watch them carefully!) Transfer to plates and sprinkle with Parmesan, chives, and sea salt. Serve hot.
