SAUTEED SPINACH

By BobD

Ingredients

• Spinaci Saltati
• Makes 4 servings
• 2 pounds bunch spinach or two 10-ounce cellophane packages spinach
• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from lidiasitaly.com

Preparation

Step 1

Wash the spinach, but don’t dry it completely. The water that clings to the leaves will steam the spinach as it cooks.

Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy skillet over medium heat. Whack the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and toss them into the oil. Cook, shaking the pan, until golden, about 2 minutes. Scatter the spinach a large handful at a time into the pan, waiting until each batch wilts before adding another. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cover the pan. Cook until the spinach begins to release its liquid. Uncover the pan and cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted and its water has evaporated, 1 to 3 minutes. Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper if you like. Serve hot.

Variation:

Adding a small amount of dry bread crumbs to the pan near the end of cooking is a traditional Istrian way to prepare spinach. Bread crumbs not only add flavor but also absorb some of the liquid that the spinach gives off, making the spinach neater if you’re putting it on the same plate as something like the Sole Meuniere. Prepare the sauteed spinach as described above, sprinkling 2 to 3 tablespoons of fine, dry bread crumbs over it just before removing it from the heat.