Always on the hunt for new cookbooks to add to my extensive library on Italian cuisine, I was fortunate to have one of the pioneers in the industry visit my Newburyport neighborhood recently. Mary Ann Esposito is one of the most beloved faces in the field, a chef, cookbook writer, and the television host of Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito, which started in 1989 and is the longest-running television cooking program in America. Mary Ann visited Port Plums in Newburyport to introduce her newest cookbook, Ciao Italia My Lifelong Food Adventures in Italy. She entertained us with a few stories on her travels in Italy, educated us on the qualities of a great olive oil, and took the time to chat with everyone in the room, listening to their favorite memories of Italian food. I’m sure the recipes found in her latest book will inspire a few more memorable meals!

Following up on my theme from my last post on sauteed greens Rapini all’Aglio, Olio e Peperoncini, and some cauliflower from my local farmer’s market, I chose the following recipe from Mary Ann’s book. A cauliflower bistecca – beef steak – looked quite clever, and easy! Using great ingredients is always the key to making simple dishes exceptional, so use a quality cheese here, not the “Asiago” cheese from your supermarket. Asiago has an official Italian DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) designation, which ties a product exclusively to a single place of origin.

The only ‘official’ Asiago cheese is produced in Italy, and only in the area of the town of Asiago, in the province of Vicenza. Asiago DOP cheese’s authentic production process dates back to the year 1000, when the cheese was made with ewe’s milk. It became an important market for cheese in the early 1500s, when a large amount of woodlands in the area were converted to pasture and mountain farms. Today, the production of Asiago also includes the upper Po valley and the mountains of Trentino, as well as parts of Treviso and Padova. In order to earn the DOP designation, the milk must be collected from this area, and the cheese must be produced in this region.

If you can’t find authentic Asiago, I’d recommend using whatever quality hard cheese you can find – a Grana, a Parmigiano-Reggiano, a Pecorino. I used a Piave cheese, produced not too far from the Asiago area.

Enjoy with a crisp white, like a Sauvignon from Alto Adige (where most of Italy’s cauliflower is grown). I recommend Sauvignon from Elena Walch or Nals Margreid.

Bistecca di Cavolfiore con Cima di Rapa e Formaggio

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan
Grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large head cauliflower (or 2 medium heads), lower leaves removed and head cut from top to bottom into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices
2 cups cooked broccoli rabe
2 cups grated Asiago cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Brush a nonstick baking sheet with olive oil.

In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and zest and season with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of each slice of cauliflower with the mixture and place them in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Roast in the oven for 25 minutes, then lower the heat to 325°F and carefully turn the slices over using two wide metal spatulas. Continue roasting until the cauliflower is fork-tender, about 10 minutes more. Remove cauliflower from the oven, spread each slice with 1/2 cup of the cooking broccoli rabe and sprinkle each one with 1/2 cup of the cheese. Return to the oven until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Serve hot, drizzled with any leftover vinaigrette.