Baked Bread Stew

From Casseroles by Sebastian Dickhaut. "When the weather turns cold, mountain peasants keep this hearty 'stew' in the oven. It's just the thing for those gray winter days." This recipe requires the bread to sit out overnight, so plan ahead!

• Ready In: 1 hr 35 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 1 casserole

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 loaf  rye bread
• 6  ounces onions
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1  quart  chicken stock
• 6  ounces  appenzell cheese or 6  ounces swiss cheese
• 1  bunch fresh chives
•  pepper
•  butter, for greasing casserole dish

Directions

1. The day before serving, cut rye bread into thin slices. Lay out slices side by side and let dry overnight.
2. The day of serving, peel onions and cut into rings. Heat butter, add onions and braise over low heat until translucent. Add stock and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. In the meantime, cut cheese into small cubes. Wash chives and snip them. Preheat oven to 350*F.
4. Arrange one layer of bread on the bottom of a buttered, ovenproof, deep casserole dish. Sprinkle with some of the cheese cubes and chives, and season with pepper.
5. Add enough onion stock just to cover this layer and continue layering the ingredients as above. Finish with a layer of cheese. Add enough onion stock just to cover it.
6. Bake stew for 50 minutes until a golden brown crust has formed.