Cauliflower Parmigiana Cutlets

Cauliflower Parmigiana Cutlets are a vegetarian variation of the classic meat dish, with an Italian touch that enriches the flavor of the cauliflower. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 medium cauliflower
• 2 eggs
• 100 g of flour
• 150 g of breadcrumbs
• 100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 200 g of pizza mozzarella
• 500 ml of tomato puree
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Fresh basil (a few leaves)
• Oil for frying

Preparation

1. Wash the cauliflower and cut it into thick florets. Blanch in lightly salted boiling water for about 5 minutes, then drain and let cool.
2. In the meantime, prepare the tomato sauce by sautéing the chopped garlic in a bit of oil until golden. Add the tomato puree, salt, and pepper, and let cook on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes. At the end of cooking, add the hand-crushed basil leaves.
3. For the cutlets, coat the florets first in flour, then in the beaten eggs with a pinch of salt and, finally, in the breadcrumbs mixed with half of the grated Parmesan.
4. Fry the cutlets in abundant and hot oil until they are golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels to remove any excess oil.
5. In a baking dish, spread a thin layer of tomato sauce, then place the fried cutlets and cover them with more sauce. Sprinkle with the mozzarella, cut into small pieces, and the rest of the grated Parmesan.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C for about 15-20 minutes, or until the mozzarella is melted and slightly golden.
7. Serve hot, garnished with a few leaves of fresh basil.

You can accompany this dish with a nice glass of light and fragrant white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Soave, which pair well with the sweetness of the cauliflower and the lively acidity of the tomato.

Curiosity

Parmigiana, usually made with eggplants, gets its name not so much from Parmesan cheese (which is nonetheless abundant in the recipe), but from the namesake method of layering ingredients: each layer of vegetable is in fact fried and then arranged in the baking dish alternated with tomato sauce and cheese, to be finally gratinated in the oven. With cauliflower, this dish becomes a delightful way to appreciate a vegetable often undervalued.