Swiss Chard Spatzele

I love the alliterative title of this post! I'm submitting this entry into Presto Pasta Nights, this week hosted by Honey B of The Life & Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch. Be sure to check out her site!

.This recipe comes from a cookbook I haven't featured yet, Recipes from America's Small Farms by Joanne Lamb Hayes and Lori Stein. This cookbook came with our CSA in 2010. I don't use it too often, but some recipes are pretty clever, including this one. I've made some small modifications to the original recipe. This is comfort food--it's not especially low fat or low calorie, but it makes clever use of produce frequently tossed away--Swiss chard stems. If you make my Spanish Vegetable Soup, you'll have some leftover stems to use in this recipe. Take a peek at the cookbook below!

Swiss Chard Spatzele (serves 4)

• 3 C Swiss chard stems, chopped 
• 1 C Swiss chard leaves, torn
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 C olive oil
• salt & pepper
• pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 C heavy cream
• 1/3 C dried bread crumbs
• 1/3 C grated Parmesan
• pinch garlic powder
• pinch herbs de Provence 
• 2 C spatzele, uncooked
• butter
• salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the garlic & shallots, cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently. 
2. Add the Swiss chard stems and saute for 3 mins. Add the leaves, nutmeg, and salt & pepper to taste, cook for about 5 mins or until leaves are tender.
3. Lightly butter a small baking dish. Spoon the chard mixture into the baking dish, drizzle the cream over the chard. Be sure the save the saute pan!
4. Meanwhile, begin heating the water for the spatzele. In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, herbs de Provence, garlic powder and Parmesan. 
5. Place the same saute pan as used with the chard over low heat. Add the bread crumb mixture, and stir over low heat for a few minutes.
6. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the chard/cream mixture. Place in oven, uncovered, for 15 mins. While the casserole is baking, cook the spatzele (generally takes 10-15 mins) .
7. When the spatzele is done cooking, drain, and mix in a pat of butter and some salt & pepper. Spoon the chard mixture over the spatzele and enjoy. 

                                                                   Chard Cooking

Verdict? Swiss chard and cream make a great alternative to creamed spinach. The sweetness of the cream with the earthiness of the chard complements each other well, and there are a surprising diversity of textures. Certified cold weather food!