Equipment
Ingredients
Produce
- 300 g brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 300 g waxy potatoes, peeled and 1.5cm diced
- 2 garlic cloves, bruised
- 20 fresh sage leaves
Pasta and Dairy
- 400 g wholewheat tortiglioni
- 250 g gruyere cheese, freshly grated
- 50 g vegetarian parmesan-style cheese, finely grated
- 80 g unsalted butter
Pantry Staples
- 15 ml olive oil
- 10 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Lightly grease the large baking dish with a small amount of butter or oil.
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the diced waxy potatoes and cook for 5 minutes to give them a head start.
Add the wholewheat tortiglioni directly into the boiling water alongside the potatoes. Cook until the pasta is 2 minutes shy of al dente according to package directions. Drain thoroughly using a colander.
While the pasta boils, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the halved Brussels sprouts cut-side down, season with a pinch of the kosher salt and black pepper, and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes until deeply browned. Toss and cook for 3 more minutes, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Wipe the large skillet briefly to remove any loose sprout leaves, reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the unsalted butter. Once melted, add the bruised garlic cloves and fresh sage leaves. Cook for about 3 minutes until the butter foams, milk solids toast to a nutty brown, and the sage becomes crispy. Discard the garlic cloves.
To the large mixing bowl containing the Brussels sprouts, add the hot, drained pasta and potatoes. Pour half of the sage brown butter over the mixture. Add half of the grated gruyere and half of the vegetarian parmesan-style cheese, tossing everything gently to combine evenly.
Transfer the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top the surface evenly with the remaining gruyere and parmesan-style cheeses. Drizzle the rest of the sage butter and arrange the crispy sage leaves attractively on top.
Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Let the bake rest for 5 minutes before serving so the residual moisture can absorb and the cheese can set slightly.
Chef's Notes
- Browning the butter (beurre noisette) amplifies the inherent nutty notes of the wholewheat pasta and pairs beautifully with the earthy, slightly bitter edge of the Brussels sprouts.
- Traditional gruyere cheese is made using animal rennet. To ensure this dish remains strictly vegetarian, carefully check the cheese label for microbial or plant-based rennet.
- For the absolute best texture, insist on using waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold or Charlotte. Starchy potatoes like Russets will break down and turn into a mash during boiling and mixing.
- Do not skip discarding the garlic from the butter. Bruising the cloves extracts their sweet, aromatic oils without leaving bitter, overcooked garlic bits in the delicate brown butter.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze before the final baking step for best results. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
Reheating: Cover with foil and reheat in a 175°C (350°F) oven until warmed through, or microwave individual portions in 45-second bursts.
