This broccoli gratin is a versatile side dish. Use good quality, fresh broccoli for the best flavors. And for those we love sage, scatter a 2-3 fresh leaves in the cheese sauce. The smallest hint of sage is nearly undetectable, yet gives the dish a special complexity.

Serves: 6 Prep. time: 15′ Cooks in: 50′ Ready in: 1:05′

Ingredients
1 kg broccoli, in florets, blanched for 7 minutes in salted water, drained

For the cheese sauce
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 lt milk
1 egg
1 tsp nutmeg
400 g kasseri cheese or Gruyere, grated
salt, pepper

Method
Step 1
For the béchamel sauce: In a pan melt butter on medium heat and stir in flour for 1-2 minutes or until it becomes light brown. Add warm milk in a steady flow stirring continually until sauce thickens but is a little runny. Remove pan from heat, allow to cool for 2 minutes and add egg, stirring vigorously until incorporated. Stir in nutmeg, a little salt and pepper and cheese.

Step 2
Preheat oven at 180οC. Place drained broccoli in a heatproof baking dish, spoon over sauce and bake for 30-40 minutes or until béchamel is golden. Serve warm.

Photo: George Drakopoulos – Food styling: Tina Webb

Και η συνταγή στα ελληνικά: Γκρατέν με μπρόκολο και τυριά