Stew the onion and shredded cabbage together with some bay leaves.

Then remove the bay leaves and chop in a blender adding the basil.
Strain through a conical strainer, add the eggs, and the cream and whisk well.

Butter 4 molds, pour in the mixture and cook, covered, in a bain-marie at 300/320 °F until firm.

Prepare a tasty “fondue” and serve together with the flan.

How to prepare the fondue: Dice the Fontina, put into a casserole, cover with the milk and a pinch of pepper, and cook in a bain-marie mixing with a wooden spoon until a smooth mixture is obtained.

At this point, add to the Fontina cream the three yolks, taking care to blend them in without cooking them.

Serve flan with Fontina cheese sauce.

Food History

People have eaten cabbage for centuries, dating back to Ancient Egypt. In Ancient Greece, cabbage was considered sacred, while the Romans thought it was a panacea against all illnesses that, when eaten raw before meals, allowed you to drink as much wine as you wanted without getting drunk.
The common Italian saying that children are born under cabbages can be traced back to the Romans. In fact, it is believed that this saying can be attributed to Cato the Elder, a cabbage-lover who fathered twenty-three children in his 85 years of life.
The supposed relationship between fertility and cabbage consumption has been passed down along the generations and up until a couple of decades ago, Italian newlyweds were served a bowl of cabbage soup on their wedding day.

Did you know that...

In Italian, there is a saying that can be translated as “you make as much sense as cabbage at snack-time”, describing an untimely event?

Other suggested recipes

• Spaghetti with Roman Cauliflower
• Ribollita (Tuscan vegetable soup)
• Minestrone with Cabbage