SAUTEED SPINACH

Sauteed Spinach - Spinaci saltati

This recipe exemplifies Tuscan cuisine to my family. It is simple nutritious and elegant.

1 bunch spinach rinsed thoroughly (stems and any thick veins removed)

extra virgin olive oil enough to coat the bottom of your saucepan very lightly (around 2 tsp.)

1/4 cup golden raisins

walnuts or Toasted Walnuts (recipe follows) or Toasted Pine Nuts (recipe follows)

sea salt and freshly ground pepper for serving at the table

2 lemons cut in half crosswise

In a medium size saucepan heat the olive oil until it is hot enough to sizzle when a spinach leaf is added to it. Add the spinach. You will not need to add any water. The water in the spinach itself and the water clinging to the leaves from rinsing them will be enough. Stir and turn down the heat and continue to cook stirring occasionally. Add the golden raisins and continue to cook until the spinach is thoroughly wilted and cooked down. Add the walnuts or pine nuts.

Remove from the heat and serve with a half lemon for each person.

Serves 4

Toasted Walnuts - Noci arrosta

Keeping the heat low preserves the nutritious value of the nuts.

10 to 15 walnut halves

extra virgin olive oil just enough to coat the nuts

Place the walnuts on a baking sheet and add enough olive oil to coat the walnuts very lightly. Place them in a preheated 175 degrees Fahrenheit oven. Roast for 4 to 5 minutes.

Toasted Pine Nuts - Pinoli arrosta

Watch these very closely as you toast them, they burn easily. 

3 oz. pine nuts (from Italy preferably)

Place the pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and place in a preheated 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for about 10 minutes. After 5 minutes stir them and let them toast for another 3 to 5 minutes until they are golden. Remove from the oven and remove them from the baking sheet to stop them from burning.

Alternatively you can toast them in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Stir them as they toast. When they are a golden brown remove them from the heat and remove them from the pan so as not to let them burn.