Cauliflower risotto with pangrattata
This cauliflower risotto is from a recipe by Jamie Oliver and features delicious and crunchy pangrattata on top. So worth making!
Cauliflower risotto with pangrattata
I totally love Jamie Oliver. Well, not the man itself although he’s not too bad I guess, but I am talking about his recipes. I think I probably have all or most of his cookbooks here in the house. Some in English and some in Dutch. I sometimes cannot wait to get the latest one so that usually means buying them in English.
Although these days I think the translation comes out at the same time as the original. He’s just that famous. I saw the recipe for this cauliflower risotto in an issue of the Dutch Delicious magazine and not sure if it is in any of his books. But regardless of where to find it, you now have the recipe!
Creamy and delicious
The thing about this cauliflower risotto is that it breaks down most of the cauliflower. So you’re left with a mix of risotto rice and cauliflower where you can hardly see the difference. Since they’re both the same color. But the flavor is super delicious.
I am usually not too big a fan of anchovies but here they kind of melt into the mix giving it a lovely salty finish. In fact I think you might even like adding bits of crunchy bacon to this. I think I will definitely do that next time.
As for making the pangrattata that is a must in this recipe. It adds a lovely crunch and makes the dish super delicious and special.
How to make the pangrattata
Making the pangrattata for the cauliflower risotto is not complicated. You basically need about a quarter of a ciabatta bread, chili flakes, lemon zest and some cinnamon. I found the addition of the cinnamon interesting but it is super tasty.
You place all of those in the food processor and process them until you’re left with crumbs. I think I made mine too fine. They could do with being a bit more chunky.
Once you have the crumbs you add some olive oil and you fry the batch of crumbs in a pan until golden and brown. Now having said that; I think I will also add some parmesan cheese into the pangrattato for next time. Pretty sure that will make the cauliflower risotto even more delicious.
Creamy cauliflower with pangrattata
Ingredients
Pangrattata
- 1/4 ciabatta bread
- 1 dried red chili crumbled or chili flakes 1 tsp
- zest of 1 lemon
- big pinch cinnamon
- olive oil
Cauliflower risotto
- 1 cauliflower medium
- 50 gr unsalted butter
- 2 medium onions finely chopped
- 2 celery sticks sliced
- 4 anchovy filets
- 1 liter vegetable stock
- 400 gr arborio rice
- 250 ml dry white wine
- 30 gr parmezan cheese grated
- 1/2 bunch fresh parsley leaves picked and cut
- Tear the ciabatta in rough pieces and put them with the chili in a processor. Add the lemonzest, cinnamon and a splash of oliveoil and chop the mixture in the machine to rough crumbs. Put a large non stick frying pan on medium high heat and bake the breadcrumbs for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Keep turning to prevent it from burning.
- Put out onto a plate and leave to cool.
- Remove the leaves of the cauliflower and cut into florets. Remove the stalk and cut that very finely. Heat the rest of the butter and a splash of olive oil in a large pan on medium heat and bake the chopped stalk, the onion, the celery and the anchovy softly, about 10 minuten or until the vegetables are soft but not colored. In the meantime heat the stock on medium heat too.
- Once the stock is boiling ad the cauliflower florets, turn down the fire and leave to boil softly.
- Once the onion is soft, add the rice and stir well. Pour in the wine and stir until almost completely evaporated. Turn the heat down and add one soup ladle of stock to the rice. Keep stirring occassionally and add more stock every time the liquid is almost gone. (make sure not to let it cook dry)
- After 10 minutes ad some of the cauliflowerflorets and break them with a fork so it falls apart. Keep doing this until all stock and cauliflower is added and the risotto has a lovely creamy consistency. If it is not moist enough add a little bit of boiling water. This process should take about 20 minutes.
- Season to taste with seasalt and freshly ground pepper, take the risotto of the heat and stir in the rest of the butter, the parmesan and the parsley. Put the lid on the pan and leave to stand for about 2 minutes. Stir again and cover with the pangrittata and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information per portion
Disclaimer
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
