Baked Meatballs with Greens and Gruyere

Meatballs and nutty gruyere cheese conjure up the flavors of traditional Northern European dishes like fondue and köttbullar. The addition of winter greens balances the meal.

Ingredients

  •  2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
  •  kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  •  3 bunches winter greens (swiss chard, kale, collard greens), stems removed, leaves sliced
  •  1 tablespoon olive oil
  •  ½ onion, diced
  •  1 garlic clove, minced
  •  2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  •  1 cup milk
  •  1 cup heavy cream
  •  1 cup coarsely grated Gruyère
  •  ¼ cup Armanino Grated Parmesan Cheese
  •  1 lb Armanino Italian Style Meatballs (½ bag), frozen
  •  ½ cup bread crumb
  •  1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 2 ½ quart baking dish and set aside.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the greens and cook for 1 minute, until just wilted, then drain. Run cold water over the greens until they’re cool enough to handle; squeeze dry.
  3. Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and cream, then add ¾ teaspoon salt and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in gruyere and parmesan until melted. Stir in blanched greens and meatballs. Transfer to prepared dish. Toss breadcrumbs with olive oil and a pinch of salt, then spread over the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until top is lightly golden and sauce is bubbling. Let sit for 10 minutes then serve hot, with extra Grated Parmesan.
Yields
6 servings
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes

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