Swiss Chard Souffle With Fresh Tomato Sauce

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Butter an eight-cup souffle dish and dust it with the bread crumbs. Set aside.

2. Step 2

   Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a large, heavy skillet. Add half the chopped onion and saute over medium heat until it is soft but not brown. Add the garlic and stir, then add the Swiss chard. Stir-fry the mixture over high heat until the Swiss chard has wilted, about five minutes.

3. Step 3

   Chop the mixture in a food processor until very fine. Add the ricotta, flour and egg yolk, and process until smooth. Stir in one-half teaspoon of the thyme. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. (The souffle can be prepared ahead up to this point.)

4. Step 4

   For the sauce, heat the remaining olive oil in the same skillet and saute the remaining onion until it is soft but not brown. Stir in the tomatoes and cook over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture is thick. Add the remaining thyme, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

5. Step 5

   Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

6. Step 6

   Beat the egg whites until they hold firm peaks. Stir one-third of the egg whites into the ricotta mixture, then fold the ricotta mixture into the remaining egg whites.

7. Step 7

   Spoon the mixture into the dish. Bake 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375 degrees and bake about 25 minutes longer, until the souffle is puffed, lightly browned and firm.

8. Step 8

   While the souffle is baking, reheat the tomato sauce. Serve at once, with the tomato sauce on the side.