Savoy Cabbage and Pasta Bake

I've mentioned before that I don't really like cabbage but I'm discovering that this really only applies to boiled white cabbage. Other, greener, cabbages are just fine though I never boil them.

Today's recipe is sheer autumn indulgence and is the result of my not being ready to eat when the food was cooked last night. So I added soured cream and yoghurt, chucked everything into an oven-proof dish and baked it. Heaven on a plate!

Try also with cavolo nero.

(serves 6)

500 g pasta
1 medium savoy cabbage
2 garlic cloves
300 ml soured cream/crème fraîche/Schmand
300 ml Greek-style yoghurt
300-400 ml vegetable stock
2 balls of mozzarella, optional
2-3 tbsp pine nuts
freshly ground parmesan
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
nutmeg
Tabasco
olive oil

1. Remove the dark green, outer leaves from the savoy, cut out the stalks. Stack the leaves on top of each other, roll and cut into 5 mm strips. Halve the remaining cabbage, remove the stalk and also cut into strips.

2. Bring a pan of water large enough to hold the cabbage to the boil. Prepare a large bowl with icecold water. Blanch the savoy for 2 minutes (no longer), drain in a colander or remove with tongs and dump straight into the cold water. Once the cabbage is cold. Drain and either spin dry or place in clean teatowels and pat dry.

3. Bring another pan of water to the boil, add salt and cook the pasta for about 8 minutes (if the package instructions ask for 11-12 minutes). Drain when done and transfer into the oven-proof dish.

4. Meanwhile, heat some olive oil and sauté the cabbage over a medium heat until it starts to brown. Add the crushed garlic and season with pepper and salt. Pour in about 250 ml of the stock and simmer until the cabbage is al dente. Add more stock if necessary. The stock should be almost completely absorbed by the time you add the cream and yoghurt. Bring to a high simmer, season with Tabasco and a little nutmeg. Check the seasoning.

5. Mix the vegetables with the pasta. Tear the mozzarella into chunks, if used, and "bury" in the mix. Scatter the pine nuts over the top.

6. Bake in a preheated oven at 175° C for 20 minutes. Then, sprinkle with the parmesan and bake at 200° C for a further 10 minutes or until the parmesan is browned.