Truffled Cauliflower Gratin
Ingredients (Servings: 8)
7 tablespoons butter, divided
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
5 ounces (~140g) truffled pecorino cheese, grated, or more to taste
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 large head cauliflower, cored and separated into florets
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or more to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, or to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter.
Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk flour into butter; cook and stir until raw flour taste cooks off, 2 to 3 minutes.
Gradually whisk milk into flour mixture. Increase heat to medium-high; cook and stir until mixture thickens and comes to a simmer, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir truffled pecorino cheese, salt, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg into milk mixture until cheese sauce thickens.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add cauliflower and cook until slightly tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and transfer cauliflower to the prepared baking dish.
Spread cheese sauce evenly over cauliflower. Dust with bread crumbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Drizzle olive oil on top and sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Bake in the preheated oven until browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh chives.