Cauliflower cheese is a classic British side dish. This version turns it into a proper main, baked inside a spelt shortcrust that’s sturdy enough to slice cleanly at the table.
Roasting the cauliflower first makes a difference. The florets pick up colour and a slightly nutty flavour before they ever meet the cheese sauce. That step takes 20 minutes but it changes the texture completely.
Spelt flour gives the pastry a mild, wheaty taste that pairs well with the sharpness of a good aged cheddar. The dough is forgiving and easy to roll, even for beginners.
You can prepare the filling and the pastry case a day ahead. Assemble and bake when you’re ready.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Spelt pastry holds its shape and slices cleanly
- Roasted cauliflower stays firm, not watery, inside
- Sharp cheddar sauce is thick enough to fill a pie
- Filling and pastry can be made one day ahead
Ingredient Notes
- Spelt flour: White spelt flour gives a lighter, more tender crust. Wholegrain spelt works too but produces a denser, nuttier pastry. Do not substitute plain wheat flour if you want the mild spelt flavour.
- Cauliflower: One medium head (about 700 g whole) yields roughly 500 g of florets once trimmed. Cut florets to similar sizes so they roast evenly.
- Aged cheddar: Use a sharp, aged cheddar for a sauce with real depth. Mild cheddar tends to disappear into the béchamel. Gruyère or a strong Lancashire cheese also work well.
- Whole milk: Whole milk gives the béchamel the right body. Semi-skimmed produces a thinner sauce that can make the pie filling too loose.
- Butter (for pastry): Cold butter cut into small cubes is key. It needs to stay cold until it hits the oven so the pastry stays short and flaky rather than greasy.
- Dijon mustard: A teaspoon stirred into the cheese sauce sharpens the overall flavour without making the pie taste of mustard. Yellow mustard is a weaker substitute.
Spelt Roasted Cauliflower Cheese Pie
Description
Spelt shortcrust holds its shape without shrinking, and the roasted cauliflower adds a nutty depth that plain steamed cauliflower simply doesn't deliver. The cheddar sauce stays thick and creamy inside the pie rather than watering out during baking.
Ingredients
Spelt Shortcrust Pastry
Roasted Cauliflower
Cheddar Sauce
Instructions
Make the Pastry
- Combine the spelt flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter cubes and rub between your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.
- Add cold water one tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork after each addition, until the dough just comes together and is not sticky. Do not overwork it.
- Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Roast the Cauliflower
- Heat the oven to 220 C / 430 F. Toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil, salt, and black pepper on a large baking sheet. Spread them out in a single layer.
- Roast for 20 to 22 minutes, turning once halfway, until the edges are golden brown and the florets feel firm but cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 200 C / 390 F.
Make the Cheddar Sauce
- Melt the butter in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the spelt flour and stir constantly for 1 minute until the mixture smells biscuity and turns pale golden.
- Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the warmed milk, about 60 ml at a time, until smooth after each addition.
- Return to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in the grated cheddar, Dijon mustard, salt, white pepper, and nutmeg until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth.
- Let the sauce cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the egg yolk until fully combined. Fold in the roasted cauliflower florets gently.
Line and Blind Bake the Pastry
- Lightly flour a work surface. Divide the chilled dough into two pieces, roughly two thirds and one third. Roll the larger piece to about 3 mm thickness and use it to line a 23 cm loose-bottomed tart tin, pressing gently into the base and sides. Trim the excess, leaving a 1 cm overhang.
- Line the pastry case with baking paper and fill with baking beans or dried rice. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Blind bake at 200 C / 390 F for 12 minutes. Remove the beans and paper, then bake for a further 5 minutes until the base looks dry and just starting to colour. Remove from the oven.
Fill and Bake the Pie
- Spoon the cauliflower cheese filling into the blind-baked pastry case and spread it level.
- Roll the remaining third of pastry to a circle slightly larger than the tin. Brush the pastry rim with beaten egg. Lay the pastry lid over the filling, press the edges together firmly, and trim the excess with a sharp knife.
- Crimp the edges, cut two small steam vents in the centre of the lid with a knife, and brush the whole top with beaten egg. Scatter a pinch of flaky sea salt over the top if you like.
- Bake at 200 C / 390 F for 28 to 30 minutes until the pastry is deep golden brown and the filling feels set when you gently shake the tin.
- Allow the pie to rest in the tin for 10 minutes before releasing and slicing.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 520kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 30g47%
- Saturated Fat 16g80%
- Cholesterol 110mg37%
- Sodium 580mg25%
- Potassium 420mg12%
- Total Carbohydrate 48g16%
- Dietary Fiber 5g20%
- Sugars 6g
- Protein 16g32%
- Vitamin A 680 IU
- Vitamin C 38 mg
- Calcium 280 mg
- Iron 3 mg
- Vitamin D 22 IU
- Vitamin E 1.8 mg
- Vitamin K 18 mcg
- Thiamin 0.3 mg
- Riboflavin 0.3 mg
- Niacin 3.2 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.3 mg
- Folate 55 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.6 mcg
- Phosphorus 290 mg
- Magnesium 42 mg
- Zinc 2.1 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Additional Notes
- Rest the spelt pastry dough in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before rolling.
- Roast cauliflower at 220 C until the edges are golden, not just softened.
- Do not skip blind baking or the base will be undercooked under the wet filling.
- Cool the cheese sauce slightly before adding egg yolk to prevent curdling.
- If edges of the pastry brown too fast, cover them loosely with foil strips.
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