Sauerkraut and Schupfnudel casserole

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 1 can of sauerkraut, 770 g drained weight
• 1 kg potato noodles
• 2 m.-sized onion(s)
• 2 packs of smoked ham (smoked country ham), in one piece, approx. 350 g each
• 150 g processed cheese
• 100 g gratin cheese
• 100 g whipped cream
• 300 ml milk
• 1 tbsp flour, for the roux
• 30 g butter
• e.g. salt and pepper
• Garlic granules
• nutmeg
• Cumin powder

Instructions

Working time approx. 35 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 55 minutes

Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). First, finely dice the onions and sauté in a saucepan until translucent. Then add the sauerkraut, stir, and simmer over medium heat. After a few minutes, season with the heavy cream and a pinch of cumin. Meanwhile, trim the fat from the ham and dice it as well. Heat a little oil in a pan, lightly fry the cubes, and after about 5 minutes, add the dumplings and fry until golden brown. Now melt the butter in another pan and make a roux with the tablespoon of flour. Then deglaze with the milk and stir constantly until the liquid thickens slightly. Just do as you would with a typical béchamel sauce. Then stir in the processed cheese. If that’s not enough cheese for you, you can add a handful of excess gratin cheese. Mix everything well and season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and garlic. Place the sauerkraut, potato dumplings, and diced ham in a casserole dish and mix thoroughly. Pour the sauce over the casserole and top with the gratin cheese. Bake the casserole for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown. This casserole serves 6-8 people, depending on how hungry everyone is.