Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
2 1/2 pounds green beans
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 garlic clove, finely grated
5 ounces fresh goat cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon pimentón de la Vera (smoked Spanish paprika)
3/4 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
Preparation
~Preheat the oven to 350° ~Butter a shallow 9-by-13-inch ceramic baking dish
1.In a large pot of boiling salted water, blanch the green beans until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and cool under running water. Pat dry and thinly slice on the diagonal. Pat dry again.
In a medium saucepan, melt the 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the flour and whisk over moderate heat until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and garlic and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer, whisking constantly, until thick, about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the goat cheese
Season the sauce with salt, pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of the pimentón. 5.In a large bowl, toss the green beans with the sauce. Spread the mixture into the prepared casserole and
sprinkle the almonds and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pimentón over the top.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling and the almonds are lightly browned.
Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes before serving.
