Noodles & Apples

Egg noodles baked with sliced Granny Smith apples, raisins, Swiss cheese, molasses, and warm spices. It sounds like an unlikely combination, but the sweet-savory contrast between nutmeg-clove spiced apples and melted Swiss cheese over buttered noodles is surprisingly comforting.

Molasses gives the casserole a deep, almost gingerbread-like sweetness that brown sugar or honey can’t replicate. Combined with nutmeg and cloves, it creates a warm, autumnal flavor that makes this casserole feel like something from an Amish country kitchen.

Granny Smith apples are the right choice. Their tartness holds up against the molasses sweetness and they keep their shape during baking instead of dissolving into mush.

Covering for the first 30 minutes steams everything together. Uncovering for the final 15 minutes browns the top and lets excess moisture evaporate.

Kitchen Tips

• Use cooked noodles that are slightly underdone. They continue cooking in the casserole for 45 minutes.
• Toss the apples with the noodles so they distribute evenly throughout instead of sinking to the bottom.
• The Swiss cheese melts into the noodles and adds a savory note that keeps this from tipping too far into dessert territory.
• Serve alongside roast pork or baked ham as a unique side dish.

Variations

• Cheddar version: Replace Swiss with sharp cheddar for a more assertive cheese presence.
• Pecan topping: Sprinkle chopped pecans over the top before the uncovered baking step for a crunchy finish.