Name: Cauliflower Sformati
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 cup minced onion; 2 cups (1/2-inch) cauliflower florets; 1 cup chicken stock; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons flour; 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 3/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 cup ricotta cheese; 1 cup grated fontina; 4 eggs, beaten; 4 cups arugula or watercress; 2 to 3 tablespoons Lemon–Olive Oil Dressing

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Photo by Monte Farber

Sformati, a molded Italian egg dish, are something like a soufflé: light and soft, but not as airy, and can be sweet or savory. They often have a bechamel sauce as a base, but here is an example using creamy-soft cauliflower and ricotta and fontina cheeses. Served with lemony arugula or watercress, it makes a light, lively starter for a dark winter’s evening.

Recipe notes

Charred Vegetable Ragù

This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!

Halloumi Lasagna

In this lasagna, soft layers of pasta and béchamel are interspersed with a rich tomato sauce laden with hearty Mediterranean vegetables.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Spinach Ramen Gratin

You can consider this recipe a template for creating a gooey, cheesy instant ramen dish with an appetizing golden crust in the oven.

Charred Cabbage With Shrimp Paste Butter

A little shrimp paste goes a long, long, long way in this delicious vegetable dish.

Spaghetti With Cabbage, Pancetta, and Calabrian Chile

Cabbage is the unsung hero of the winter kitchen—available anywhere, long-lasting in the fridge, and super-affordable. It’s also an excellent partner for pasta.

Sofrito Bolognese

An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.