Baked Celery Au Gratin With Cheese

Ingredients

• 4 cups diced celery
• 2.5 tablespoons butter
• 2.5 tablespoons flour
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• Dash of pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup water in which celery was cooked
• 1 cup buttered bread crumbs
• 0.5 cup grated cheese

Method

1. 1 Cook the celery in boiling salted water until tender, then drain.
2. 2 Prepare a white sauce using the butter, flour, salt, pepper, milk, and celery cooking water.
3. 3 Butter the bread crumbs by stirring them into 1 tablespoon of melted butter.
4. 4 Layer the dish: 1/4 cup crumbs, half the celery, 1/4 cup crumbs, 1/4 cup cheese, remaining celery, sauce, remaining cheese, and remaining crumbs.
5. 5 Bake in a hot oven (425°F) until heated through and crumbs are browned. Serve hot.