SPINACH AND MILLET TIMBALE WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Spinach and Millet Timbale With Tomato Sauce image

A timbale is a molded custard, somewhat similar to a quiche without a crust. It differs from a gratin because it is cooked at a lower heat in a water bath so the sides don't brown and stick to the baking dish, allowing you to unmold it. This one is delicious served with homemade marinara sauce (see recipe).

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Categories side dish

Time 2h30m

Yield 6 main dish servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

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Ingredients

6 eggs
2 cups, tightly packed, blanched spinach* (about 10 ounces blanched; 1 1/2 pounds baby spinach or 3 pounds bunch, on the stem), finely chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves, finely minced (optional)
1 cup cooked millet
3 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (3/4 cup)
2/3 cup 2 percent milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce

Steps:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Butter a 2-quart soufflé dish or 6 1-cup ramekins, making sure to butter the bottoms generously, and place them in a baking pan that is deep enough so that you can fill it with enough water to come halfway up the sides of the mold or ramekins.
Beat the eggs in a large bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients (I usually season with 3/4 to 1 teaspoon of kosher salt). Scrape into the molds, filling them a little more than halfway full.
Add boiling water to the baking pan, enough to come halfway up the sides of the molds. Place in the oven and bake for 5 minutes, then lower the heat to 325 degrees. Bake small molds for another 40 minutes, or until set and a skewer inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Large timbales will take between 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Make sure the water bath does not boil.
Remove the timbales from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes while you heat the tomato sauce.
Spoon about 3 to 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce onto each plate if you made individual timbales. Run a knife around the edges of the ramekins and unmold onto the plates. If serving 1 large timbale unmold onto a platter and cut into wedges.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 212, UnsaturatedFat 5 grams, Carbohydrate 14 grams, Fat 11 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 13 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 472 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 0 grams