Chipotle Chile and Bubbly Swiss Casserole
I have officially found my absolute favorite spice.
For years I have favored the all-purpose spice due to its versatility and taste. But that’s boring. Of course it’s versatile – it’s ALL-PURPOSE.
My husband loves any food that is “chipotle-esque” so I when I came across Chipotle Chile Pepper in the grocery store I figured it was a worth-while purchase. Little did I know that it would become MY number one. It’s not too spicy – in fact, I would go as far to say it’s not spicy at all. If you have a very senstive palette then you may feel a little heat, but you can still consume it and taste your meal afterward ;o) It has a nice smoky kick to it, which is why I enjoy it so much. McCormick, one of the spice powerhouses in the baking aisle, makes it so it’s easy to find.
I tend to throw whatever I have in the fridge into my meals, and this dish was no different. I am often inspired by recipes and then tweak them so I don’t have to travel alllll the way to the store to retrieve the ingredients. (I live out in the country so the nearest grocery store is 20 minutes.)
I was quite pleased with the results. One can never be too sure how dinner will taste when it’s an improvisation. This one is a keeper!
Chipotle Chile and Bubbly Swiss Casserole
Source: 101 Cookbooks
(Serves 
Ingredients:
Extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 pound short, whole wheat pasta
sea salt
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1/2 – 1 c. bell pepper (any color), chopped (Yep, I’m still trying to use up my big bag of peppers!)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups well-chopped fresh spinach
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds, lightly toasted
zest of 2 lemons
1-1/2 tsp. chipotle chile pepper
8 ounces swiss, shredded (more wouldn’t hurt if you are a cheese fanatic like me)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter/oil a large casserole dish or baking pan – something roughly equivalent to 13×9-inch pan.
Boil the pasta in salted water per package instructions. Drain pasta, toss with a glug of olive oil. Set aside.
In the meantime, heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Saute the onions and peppers with a couple pinches of salt for a few minutes (or if you want a bit more depth of flavor until caramelized). Stir in garlic. Stir in spinach. Cook for just about 20 seconds, until the spinach collapses a bit.
Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of the almonds and 1/2 of the zest. Add to pasta, add the chile pepper and stir and stir – mixing extremely well, a minute or so.
Now sprinkle the bottom of baking dish with the rest of the zest. Add a layer of the pasta to the bottom of the baking pan, now sprinkle with some of the cheese, add more pasta, then more cheese. Finish with a layer of cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until cheese on top is bubbly and melty. Serve sprinkled with the remaining almonds.
