Spaetzle and Leek Casserole
I found this recipe by accident while looking for a Cheese Spaetzle recipe. By that time I had already some experience with casseroles and there wasn’t anything scary about baking something in the oven. We are also perfectly fine with vegetarian dishes and this one seemed perfect. What I didn’t know, was what an intense flavor leek adds to a meal. It is not as sharp as raw onions, but it gives the dish a distinctive flavor.
Note to self: Article/Rant about ethnic food pricing. $5 for one pound of noodles if your standard super market even carries it. Don’t despair. I’ve found Aldi is selling it for $2.29 or so.
Recipe: Spaetzle and Leek Casserole
Author: Feliz
Recipe type: Entree
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaetzle noodles
- 1 large zucchini
- 2 stalks of leek
- 5 oz of spinach
- 12 oz shredded swiss cheese
- 1 table spoon butter
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 375 F
- Butter a casserole dish (at least 2" deep and needs a lid)
- Slice the zucchini and leeks in ¼" slices
- Boil the spaetzle in salt water, typically for 12-13 minutes.
- Drain the spaetzle and layer ⅓ of them on the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Next layer is half your spinach, half the zucchini.
- Push the half the leek slices apart into rings and add them on top.
- Salt and pepper this layer.
- Add ⅓rd of your cheese.
- Repeat this with another layer of spaetzle, spinach, zucchini, leeks and again cheese.
- You may have to push it down a bit, since your casserole dish is most likely full by now.
- Add the remaining spaetzle and top them with the remaining cheese.
- Bake it in the oven for 20 minutes, with lid on top
- Bake it for 5-10 more minutes without a lid
- Serve
