This luscious spinach or Swiss chard casserole is widespread in Graubünden. The beautiful name, Scarpatscha, stems from the Romansh language. Many of these melodious words have merged into the Bündner dialect through the kitchen. You can also use different vegetables in the recipe; steam heartier vegetables such as carrots first and then layer with the other ingredients.
Ingredients
- 7 oz (200 g) sliced dried farmer’s bread, cut into thin strips
- 10½ oz (300 g) leaf spinach
- 5 scallions
- 2 celery ribs
- 2 carrots
- 1 bunch dill
- 2 tablespoons butter plus extra for the baking dish
- ¾ cup milk
- 3 eggs
- freshly grated nutmeg
- 3½ oz (100 g) Gruyère cheese
- freshly ground salt and pepper
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C) or 360°F (180°C) (convection oven). Soak the strips of farmer’s bread in ½ cup warm water. Wash the spinach and chop the scallions into thin rings. Cut the celery into thin slices; peel the carrots, cut in quarters lengthwise, and slice thinly. Chop the dill.
- Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the spinach, scallions, celery, carrots, and dill. Season with salt and pepper; cover and cook for 5 minutes. In the meantime, whisk the milk and egg in a bowl and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Grate the Gruyère and grease a large baking dish (or 4 small ones) with butter.
- Squeeze most of the liquid out of the bread. Layer the steamed vegetables, bread, and cheese one after another in the baking dish or dishes. Pour in the egg mixture and bake about 30 minutes on the middle rack until golden brown (in the smaller dishes, it will only take about 20 minutes).
