Go Back
Print Recipe

Coste di bieta gratinate (Gratinéed Swiss Chard Stems)

Total Time1 hour

Ingredients

  • Stems from 2 bunches of Swiss chard stems about 300g/10 oz
  • 500 ml/2 cups béchamel sauce
  • Butter q.b.
  • Parmesan cheese grated, q.b.
  • Salt and pepper

Optional:

  • Slices of mozzarella or scamorza
  • Slices of cooked ham
  • Bread crumbs

Instructions

  • Trim the steam top and bottom, then cut them into lengths. Parboil in well salted water until tender, about 5-10 minutes depending on their size. Drain and let cool.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the béchamel sauce following the directions in this post.
  • Grease the bottom of a baking dish large enough to hold all the chard stems in one or two layers (or, if you prefer, individual dishes as pictured here). Lay on a layer of chard stems, topped with slices of ham and/or mozzarella if using, then nap with béchamel and top everything with a good dusting of Parmesan. Repeat until the chard is used up. Top with a sprinkling of breadcrumbs, if using. Finally, dot the top with bits of butter.
  • Bake in a moderately hot (190C/375F) oven for about 20-30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the top is nicely brown.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10-15 minutes before serving.