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ITALIAN RECIPES

Spinach With...

Gnocchi with Wild Spinach & Hot Pepper

Ingredients:

1 pound (500 g) potato gnocchi
2 1/4 pounds (1 k) wild spinach, well washed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 or more hot peppers to taste, seeded, ribbed and chopped
Freshly grated Pecorino Romano
Olive Oil
Salt
Optional: A quarter to a hald pound (1-200 g) broccoli raab, chopped

Preparation:

Set a pot of water to boil. While it is heating, shake most of the water off the spinach (or spinach & broccoli mixture) and cook it, stirring it about, in a second pot. When it is thoroughly wilted drain it and squeeze it dry.

Over a low flame, simmer the garlic, oil, and red pepper, and when the garlic begins to turn gold stir in the greens. By now the water should be boiling; cook the gnocchi, drain them, and stir them into the skillet.
Cook for a minute or two more, dust the gnocchi with freshly grated cheese, and serve.
A wine? A rich trebbiano of the sort that comes from the Abruzzese would be nice.
Serves 4.

Lentil Soup with Rice and Spinach

Ingredients:

1 cup (200 g) short-grained rice
1 cup (200 g) lentils, soaked for 4 hours
1 bunch spinach, washed and cut into strips
2 cloves garlic
An onion
1 rib celery
1 cup plain tomato sauce
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preparation:

Rinse the lentils and cook them for 45 minutes in 2 quarts of water with the onion, celery, and asalt and pepper to taste.
Remove the lentils with a slotted spoon, and strain the broth, discarding the celery. Slice the onion and sauté it in a pot with the oil and the garlic for 3 minutes, then add the tomato sauce and cook 2 minutes more.

Add the lentils and the spinach, and then the lentil broth. When the soup comes to a boil add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is done, about 15 minutes.
Serves 4.

Spinach Sformato

Ingredients:

3 1/2 pounds (1.5 k) fresh spinach, well washed
A pinch of powdered cinnamon (optional)
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups grated pecorino (if your pecorino is sharp, use a mixture of Parmigiano and pecorino)
An ounce (25 g) of raisins, soaked in warm water, then drained and minced (optional)
Salt and pepper

Preparation:

Drain the well-washed spinach and heat it in a pot with the water that remained on the leaves; when it wilts and is done drain it again, put it through a food mill, and season it with the cinnamon, pepper, and salt.

Combine the spinach with the melted butter, cheese, eggs, and raisins, and pour the mixture into a buttered mold. Bake it until it sets in a 360 F (180 C) oven, and serve it hot, sliced.
Serves 6.

Pan-Sauteed Spinach

Ingredients:

Two pounds fresh spinach, washed well
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium cloves garlic, halved and crushed
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Preparation:

Pick over the spinach, removing and discarding tough ribs, and coarsely chop the leaves. Heat it in a pot until it has wilted and drain it well, squeezing it to remove most of the water.

Heat the oil in a pan with the garlic, and once it begins to crackle, add the spinach in one fell swoop. Stir vigorously, season with salt and pepper to taste, and when it is heated through it is done.
Note: If you're pressed for time, you can use frozen spinach, though you should thaw it before sauteeing it.
Serves 4.

Spinach Balls with Herb Sauce

Ingredients:

1 4/5 pounds (800 g) fresh or a scant pound (400 g) frozen spinach
An egg
4 tablespoons grated Parmigiano
A sprig of marjoram
1/2 cup (60 g) breadcrumbs
A pinch freshly grated nutmeg
3 cups oil for frying
A little pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pinch fine grained salt
6 ounces (150 g) mayonnaise
The juice of an orange, and its zest too, mostly grated, though you will also want some thin strips
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
A pinch of salt

Preparation:

Grate the orange and squeeze the orange. Put the mayonnaise in a bowl. Strain the orange juice with a fine mesh strainer and slowly work half of it into the mayonnaise (drink the remainder). Work the orange zest and Tabasco sauce into the mayonnaise, salt the sauce to taste, and chill it in the refrigerator.

If you are using fresh spinach, wash it well, trim away any roots you may see, discard tough ribs, and put it into a pot while it is still dripping. Add the kosher salt, and cook over high heat, stirring, for 5 minutes.

Drain the spinach in a colander, and when it has cooled enough to be worked with squeeze out most of the moisture. If you are using frozen spinach, thaw it out completely.
Rinse the sprig of marjoram, pat it dry, and strip the leaves. Mince them. Put the spinach on a chopping board and mince them. Transfer them to a bowl and add overtones them the egg, beaten, and the marjoram.

Next, work in the cheese and a third of the breadcrumbs. Mix well; the mixture should be stiff. Finally, add salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.
Put the remaining breadcrumbs in a deep dish bowl. Take the spinach mixture a tablespoon at a time, and shape it into balls the size of small walnuts by rolling them between the palms of your hands.

While you are shaping the balls, heat the oil; it will be ready when a bread cube dropped into it turns golden but doesn't burn.
At this point fry the spinach balls, in several batches, turning them and pressing them down with your slotted spoon to be certain they cook evenly. Drain them on absorbent paper and salt them lightly.

Spread about 3/4 of the orange sauce over the bottom of a serving dish, arrange the spinach balls over it, and decorate them with the remaining sauce and the strips of zest.
Serves 4.

Buon appetito!

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