Swiss Chard Gratin

Wash and drain the leaves. Separate the green leafy parts of the chard from the thick ribs, and then trim the ribs and chop them into 1/2" pieces. Cook the ribs in a large pot of salted, boiling water for 10 minutes, then add the greens and stir with a wooden spoon until the water returns to a boil. As soon as the greens are completely limp empty the chard into a colander and refresh with cold running water. Squeeze the mass of chard to remove as much water as possible; we roll them in an old bath towel.
Preheat oven to 375u0b0. Place dried mound of chard on a cutting board and chop it thin, then give the ball a quarter of a turn and chop thin again. In a heavy saute pan, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil and most of the butter over medium-low heat. Add the crushed garlic and cook until sizzling but before it begins to color, add the chopped chard, salt, and pepper. Stir regularly with a wooden spoon for about 10 minutes, or until the chard has lost all visible moisture. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir well, then begin adding the milk a little at a time. Stir with each addition and wait until the chard absorbs all the milk before adding more.
Using a food processor, pulse the mixture rapidly to form a coarse puree. Pour the chard mixture into a buttered gratin dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and Parmesan if desired and drizzle with olive oil then bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.