Fresh curly kale baked in a creamy sauce of fontina and romano cheeses with sun-dried tomatoes.
If you like creamed spinach you will surely like this just as well. If not more. So similar only fancier.
Colorful pieces of sun-dried tomatoes add a chewy pop of acidity to a milky, cheese-infused sauce. Being that kale is a thicker, heartier green than spinach there’s more texture to it.
Fontina cheese makes a beautiful match for the kale. Fontina is a super creamy Italian cheese with superior melting abilities. It has a slight bite to it with a bit of nuttiness and tiny holes like Swiss cheese.
If, for some reason you dislike kale (it’s entirely possible this could change your mind) or have another green on hand substitutions will work out fine. If using a thinner green add a few extra cups.
Fresh curly kale baked in a creamy sauce of fontina and romano cheeses with sun-dried tomatoes.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Fill a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan a little more than halfway with water and bring to a boil; add a few dashes of salt to the water and cook kale 3-4 minutes. Drain in a colander and run cold water over it. Wring the kale out in paper towels to get as much water as possible out of it. The kale will be all scrunched up, quicky go through it and unravel the leaves.
- In the same saucepan heat 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-low heat; add garlic and saute until fragrant; add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and flour. Whisk together and cook 2-3 minutes. Whisk in milk and turn heat up to medium-high; bring to a simmer and cook 2-3 minutes.
- Season the thickened milk mixture with salt and pepper; add fontina and 2 tablespoons of the romano; whisk until melted. Turn off heat and stir in tomatoes and kale.
- Grease a small casserole pan (7x5ish with deep sides) with butter and add the kale mixture. Sprinkle the top with the bread crumbs and remaining tablespoon of romano cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes until bubbly and lightly golden on top. Allow to set 5 minutes before serving.
Oh my. This is dangerous. This could be my entire meal.
Becki’s Whole Life recently posted..Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Alfredo
thinking of how I can fit this into tonight’s menu :-)
The Food Hunter recently posted..Tea Biscuits & A Baker’s Dream Giveaway
This looks amazing! I want to make it. How do you pair this dish? Is it crackers or is this a stand alone dish?
Hi Toya! It’s a side dish! It would be good with just about anything but especially steak or chicken.
I haven’t quite gotten into kale yet, but I do love spinach, and fontina cheese… so perhaps I’d like this! I’d use fresh tomatoes instead, but otherwise this looks great :)