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Published July 13th, 2016
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Thoughtful Food
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| A Memorable Casserole Returns |
| By Susie Iventosch |
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| Spinach-Gruyere noodle casserole Photo Susie Iventosch |
This is one of those recipes that made the rounds at my parents' potluck parties back in the 1970s. My mom recently pulled it out of her recipe file and made it when I was visiting in May. I had completely forgotten all about this dish and just how delicious it is. It's sort of like a combination of fondue, creamed spinach and pasta - all with a great crunchy cheese top.
The original recipe calls for a can of concentrated cream of celery soup and frozen spinach, but I wanted to try it with fresh spinach and since I failed to buy the can of soup when I was shopping, I improvised and was quite pleased with the results.
Also, the original recipe used just plain Swiss cheese, but being a devout lover of Gruyere cheese, it found its way into my version.
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Spinach-Gruyere Noodle Casserole
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(Makes about a 9x9-inch casserole)
INGREDIENTS
6 ounces of uncooked medium-wide egg noodles, cooked and drained
2 Tbsp. olive oil
8 ounces grated Swiss cheese-divided
4 ounces grated Gruyere-divided
1 lb. fresh spinach
2 Tbsp. butter
1 shallot, finely diced
1 stalk celery, include a few of the leaves, finely sliced
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2-3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white wine
3/4 cup milk or cream
1/4 cup dry vermouth
DIRECTIONS
Cook the noodles to al dente and drain. Toss with olive oil to prevent from sticking together. Set aside.
In a large sauté pan, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil and add half of the fresh spinach. Cook until wilted and reduced in volume. Add remaining spinach and cook until wilted. Continue to cook just until all liquid is absorbed. Set aside.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a sauce pan. Add shallots, celery, salt and pepper and sauté until onions are translucent. Add 2-3 Tbsp. flour and continue cooking over medium heat, whisking all the while, until flour just starts to turn slightly brown. Using a wire whisk, add white wine and stir until smooth like a paste. Slowly stir in milk or cream and continue to whisk until integrated and smooth over medium heat. Cook until fairly thickened. Remove from heat.
In bowl, combine cream sauce, vermouth, spinach, and half of the cheese together and then toss well with noodles. Spread out into a 9x9 inch greased baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
Bake at 350 degrees until done and beginning to brown on top and around the edges.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA