By Barbara Beltrami
Recently faced with a 2½-pound bag of spinach, I was reminded of a visit with my friend at her wine estate in Tuscany where after cooking with her, I came away with a whole new attitude about and repertoire for spinach. In the ways she prepared it, it was a far cry from the plain old green stuff boiled or microwaved or taken out of a can. In fact, the things she did with it were such treats that second helpings were de rigueur. Consider these adaptations of her recipes, which move spinach to a sublime and savory taste echelon.
Spinach with Raisins and Pine Nuts
YIELD: Makes 6 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
2½ ounces unsalted butter
2 pounds fresh spinach, washed, drained and squeezed dry
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 ounces golden raisins, soaked in warm water 10 minutes and drained
2 ounces pine nuts, lightly toasted
DIRECTIONS:
In large skillet, melt butter, add spinach and salt and pepper and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes. Stir in raisins and pine nuts and cook over medium low heat a few more minutes. Serve with meat, poultry or fish.
Pasta with Spinach, Gorgonzola and Mascarpone Cheese
YIELD: Makes 4 to 6 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound pasta such as penne, rigatoni or ziti
1 pound fresh or frozen spinach, cooked, drained, squeezed dry and chopped, liquid reserved
½ pound Gorgonzola cheese, diced
2 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 ounce grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Boil one cup of reserved spinach liquid (if not enough, add pasta cooking liquid). Meanwhile put the cheeses and pepper into a heat-proof pasta bowl; mash them together with a fork until they are well blended. While it is still hot, put cooked pasta in bowl with cheeses; add spinach and toss vigorously to combine; if sauce is too thick add a little of the spinach liquid and toss again. Serve immediately with a chilled dry white wine.
Little Spinach and Gruyere Soufflés
YIELD: Makes 8 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
1 ounce unsalted butter plus extra for greasing individual soufflé dishes
1 ounce flour
1 cup boiling milk
2 pounds fresh spinach, washed, cooked, squeezed dry and finely chopped
Salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
4 large eggs, separated
7 ounces Gruyere cheese, diced
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Dried breadcrumbs
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 F. In small saucepan melt butter. Stir in flour, then slowly add hot milk; stirring constantly, cook mixture for 5 minutes; add spinach, salt, pepper and nutmeg; stir and let cool. With wire whisk, stir in egg yolks, Gruyere and Parmesan. Beat egg whites until stiff; gently fold into mixture. Grease individual soufflé molds and dust with breadcrumbs. Place equal amounts of mixture into each soufflé dish; bake 20 minutes; serve immediately with thin breadsticks
Ricotta and Spinach Gnocchi
YIELD: Makes 8 to 10 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
2 ounces unsalted butter
2 pounds cooked fresh spinach, drained, squeezed dry and finely chopped
1 pound ricotta
5 ounces sifted flour
5 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
3 egg yolks plus 1 whole egg
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Grated nutmeg to taste
1 ounce melted unsalted butter
4 sage leaves, minced
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS:
In large skillet, melt the two ounces of butter; add prepared spinach and, stirring frequently, cook 5 minutes. Put spinach in a large bowl; add ricotta, flour, 5 ounces Parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg yolks, egg, salt and pepper and nutmeg; mix to thoroughly combine; refrigerate for one hour. Remove mixture from fridge and roll into little balls (about 1- to 1½-inch in diameter). Carefully drop balls into pot of gently boiling salted water and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Preheat broiler. With skimmer remove balls, drain well and place in a greased ovenproof dish. Dot with melted butter and sage, sprinkle with remaining two tablespoons of grated Parmesan and place under hot broiler a few minutes to lightly brown. Serve hot with a mixed salad.