The beautiful thing about casserole is that you could eat it every day of the year and never get tired of it. There are limitless combinations of ingredients to attempt, and while some of them may appear weird, it’s not uncommon to find one that pleasantly surprises you.
The beautiful thing about casserole is that you could eat it every day of the year and never get tired of it. There are limitless combinations of ingredients to attempt, and while some of them may appear weird, it’s not rare to find one that pleasantly surprises you with its flavor. Take, for example, this Polish Casserole. While using sauerkraut in a casserole may seem weird, its tartness pairs well with a creamy sour cream-based sauce, smoky kielbasa, and nutty Swiss.
To prepare this sauce, start with a roux and build a bechamel, then dress it up with Dijon mustard and sour cream. Both of them add acidity to balance out the richness and reflect the sharpness of the sauerkraut. The sauerkraut, on the other hand, isn’t overly sour; it’s rinsed and drained before everything else is combined to keep it from overpowering the dish.
4 cup uncooked short pasta (penne or fusilli)
2 tbsp. melted butter
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 quarts milk
1 quart sour cream
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 (16 ounce) jar washed and well-drained sauerkraut
1 1/2 pounds smoked Polish sausage or kielbasa, thinly sliced
3 cups grated and split Swiss cheese
4 green onions, to taste, diced Kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper
PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter or nonstick spray a 913-inch baking dish.
Cook pasta according to package directions in a big pot of salted water. Drain and place in a large mixing bowl.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently, after whisking in the flour.
Gradually whisk in the milk, continually whisking, and heat until thickened. Remove from fire and season with salt and pepper. Stir in garlic powder, Dijon mustard, and sour cream.
Add the sauerkraut, sausage, green onions, and 2 cups of the cheese to the spaghetti. Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling. Allow for a 5-minute pause before serving. Enjoy!
