Celeriac and Rocket Sformato
A delicate savoury bake, this Italian-style sformato combines the earthy sweetness of celeriac with the peppery brightness of fresh rocket. Yum.
Substitute:
- No sunflower seeds? Use pine nuts instead.
- No plain flour? Use any flour of your choice.
- No parmesan? Try with finely grated cheddar instead.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 70 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
500 g celeriac (trimmed and peeled)
2 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for drizzling)
30 g unsalted butter
30 g plain flour
350 ml milk of choice
250 g rocket
1 garlic clove (grated)
250 g ricotta cheese
4 eggs (beaten)
a pinch of ground nutmeg
30 g parmesan (grated)
15 g sunflower seeds (toasted in a dry pan)
salt & pepper
Recipe:
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6 and line a baking tray with baking paper. Grease a 18cm springform cake tin and line the base with non-stick baking paper.
Cut the celeriac into small cubes and add to the lined baking tray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix to coat and roast for 20-25 minutes, until softened and golden. Save a few roasted celeriac cubes for the topping.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan, then stir in the flour to form a paste. Cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and whisk in the milk, a little at a time, until smooth. Return to the heat, bring to the boil while stirring, then simmer the sauce for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool.
Rinse and dry the rocket, then roughly chop. Reserve a handful of fresh rocket for the topping. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a frying pan on a low heat along with the grated garlic. Gently cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the rocket and cook for 3-4 minutes, until wilted. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.
Once the white sauce has cooled, stir in the ricotta, eggs and nutmeg, plus half of the grated cheese. Next, gently stir in the roast celeriac and wilted rocket. Season with salt and pepper, then pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Smooth the top with a spatula so that it's level, then sprinkle over the remaining parmesan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden and just set. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a serving plate.
Top with the roast celeriac cubes, remaining rocket and toasted sunflower seeds. Drizzle with a little oil and slice to serve. Enjoy.
How to store
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To freeze, portion out the sformato, wrap individually and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
