First things first:  I have a habit of cruising the gourmet cheese section of my local store because cheese is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.  There are some things that I get regularly, such as goat chèvre for our Sunday omelets, or to eat with smoked bluefish (a delicacy that I highly recommend).  But I also look for those 50% off specials for items that are nearing their “sell by” date.  In this case, I found a block of gruyere cheese which I normally get if I want to make French Onion Soup.  But, I wasn’t in the mood for soup so decided to try something else.

A caveat before we get started:  Some people seem to think that gruyere can be easily switched out for something else, like Swiss cheese.  Those people are stupid and not worth knowing.

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 Lb. Short Pasta

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Tbsp. Butter

5 Cloves Garlic, crushed or grated

Zest and juice of two lemons

4 Tbsps. Flour

27 Oz. Vegetable Stock

11 Oz. Baby Spinach

Freshly Chopped Parsley, to taste

Salt and Pepper to taste

8 Oz. Gruyere, shredded

Cook the pasta in salted (NOT OILED) water.  Reserve a cup of the pasta water before draining, in case you need it later.

In a large pan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium flame.  When the butter begins to foam, add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds.  Take very good care not to let the garlic scorch or it will become very bitter.  If necessary, turn the heat off but leave the pan on the burner for this process and the next two steps.

Add the lemon zest and juice and cook for another 30 seconds.  Add the flour and stir continuously with a whisk to combine until a sort-of roux is formed.

If you had to turn the heat off, turn it back on now.  Slowly add the vegetable stock while whisking continuously—to avoid lumps—until all the stock is added and slightly thickened.  Add the spinach and cook until fully wilted. 

Add half of the cheese and stir until melted.  Then add the rest of the cheese and stir until that is melted as well. 

Add the cooked pasta and stir to combine.  If it’s too thick and pasty, add a little of the pasta water until it smooths out.  Stir in the parsley and salt and pepper.

Serve immediately with some toasted sourdough bread.

This is a good dish that gets better as leftovers the next day.  It will stay on my playlist the next time I find a deal on gruyere.