| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr |
| Active: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 small head cauliflower (2 pounds)
- 4 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1/4 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
- 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 6 large slices 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 degrees 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, 1/2-inch clusters. Place the florets on a sheet pan, toss them with the olive oil, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 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 to cool 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 1/2 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, the chives, and sea salt. Serve hot.
Reviews
These were DELICIOUS. I thought they would be too salty due to the three kinds of cheeses, the prosciutto, the Maldon Flaky Salt to finish, plus Kosher salt added throughout. I thought it had just the right amount of salty bite, and it hit all the textures I look for…it was creamy and crunchy and rich for sure. Definitely couldn’t eat a whole bunch of these in one sitting. We had them as an appetizer with a few others things for NYE, and my hubby and I absolutely loved them. If I could change anything, I think I would crisp up the prosciutto first before adding it to add another crispy component. Ina never disappoints. Another winner!
WOW! I had to sub a couple things because I didn’t have them on hand but it was still delicious (cottage cheese for mascarpone, manchego for Gruyère, and 7 grain bread for country loaf). I love the suggestions of making this into a dip. Will try that for an upcoming potluck! Thank you Ina!
So delicious. Checks all the boxes- cheesy, salty, crunchy, some nutrition. I keep the mixture in the fridge and it works as dinner, after school snack, breakfast w a fried egg on top. Super easy too. I sub ricotta for maracapone
We really wanted to like this….but roasted cauliflower as an appetizer is just not our preference. We are big fans of Ina but not with this recipe.
My guests raved about these. Only thing is you can barely taste the cauliflower! I may have roasted mine a touch too long. Very rich with the cheese, etc. Can’t eat much but people still mention these months later
We loved it! used ricotta instead of marscapone, used white sharp cheddar instead of gruyere, skipped the prosciutto – because I didn’t have them! picked the cauliflower from my garden, yummmmm… I’ll make this again. homemade sourdough bread is just the right sturdiness for the toppinc.
I love Ina’s recipes and this one is a winner too, however, after roasting the small pieces of cauliflower I cut the rest of the recipe ingredients by half. Next time I’ll get two heads of cauliflower and it will be perfect. And like many of the other reviewers, I didn’t add more salt to the topping when mixing in the cheeses and prosciutto. I also didn’t add the Parmesan and chives at the end but instead topped with microgreens for a pretty presentation and fresh crunch. To make this gluten-free, and keto-friendly, swap out the bread for toasted Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Thins.
Hands down, one of Ina’s best recipes. I usually cut the mascarpone a tiny bit (based on the tub sizes available in my local grocery store) but no one has ever noticed. I’ve done minis for parties a few times and they are always a hit.
Subbed 3/4 cooked 4 strips of bacon.
Added onion and garlic powder.
Used swiss.
Really good!
Next I’ll pop a poached egg on it….
Added onion and garlic powder.
Used swiss.
Really good!
Next I’ll pop a poached egg on it….
I agree that this is too salty as written, or at least it was using the prosciutto I purchased. It is very good though if you adjust the salt to your taste. It is rich, next time I may try the drizzle of balsamic someone suggested. I drizzled a tiny bit of honey on my last bit and that was tasty. It was hard to not eat all of the roasted cauliflower while it sat for 20 min!